Enhancing the durability of lithium-ion batteries and extending battery life, cobalt is currently a critical material for powering electric vehicles efficiently. But its extraction has damaging consequences across the world:

Social impact: Around 70% of the world’s cobalt supply comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where mining practices have been linked to severe human rights abuses, including child labour and hazardous working conditions. Health risks associated with cobalt mining and processing also raise concerns. Workers in these industries face potential respiratory issues and other long-term health problems, adding to the ethical complexities of using cobalt in batteries.

Environmental impact: cobalt mining can lead to soil erosion, water pollution, and the destruction of ecosystems. Such environmental degradation contradicts the objectives of the energy transition, which aims to minimise ecological harm. 

Economic impact: The global cobalt supply chain is highly concentrated in a few countries, making it vulnerable to political instability, trade restrictions, and price fluctuations. This reliance on a limited supply chain can impede the scalability and reliability of cobalt-dependent technologies, like EV batteries. 

Since 2020, the COBRA project has been one of Europe’s leading alliances for next-generation cobalt-free batteries. Supported by Bax & Company, the European-wide consortium of 18 industry and academic organisations has strived to eliminate cobalt from the manufacturing process of electric vehicle (EV) batteries. 

Co-funded with nearly twelve million euros from the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 program, the alliance is advancing research and development for a safer, more sustainable battery value chain.

Earlier this month, COBRA achieved a major breakthrough for automotive batteries. Led by partner IREC, the consortium successfully developed Spain’s first cobalt-free lithium-ion battery. The new cobalt-free lithium battery prototype is currently in the pre-commercial phase and rated between levels 5 and 6 on the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale.

In line with Europe’s sustainability and recycling standards, the COBRA partners have innovated new electrode formulations using recycled silicon from photovoltaic panels. Jordi highlights that they are already achieving a recycling rate “of between 90 and 95% for the components that make up the cell” while enhancing the safety and sustainability of the entire value chain.

The innovation-based design will integrate a new control system that features wireless communication capabilities, advanced sensors, and sophisticated algorithms. These enhancements are crucial for increasing the safety of the batteries, enabling them to detect changes in temperature and potential gas leaks, as well as improve the overall efficiency of the battery.

You can read the full press release on this development here.

Since the formation of COBRA, our battery specialists have contributed 19 market intelligence reports, sharing their insights across the whole battery value chain.

Implementing new battery technologies inevitably brings a whole host of complexities, and market intelligence plays a critical role in ensuring these innovations remain relevant and impactful over the long term. 

From new anode technologies and cathode materials, to the impact of the EU’s forthcoming battery regulation, our team has covered a vast number of key technical, policy and market developments influencing the electric vehicle battery landscape.