Regional variations in environmental impacts of NMC 811 production: Comparative LCA study across Visegrad countries

Abstract

There is a high consensus that decarbonization of the mobility sector is possible by replacing internal combustion engine vehicles with battery electric vehicles. Among the lithium-ion batteries, the NMC 811 battery chemistry is commonly used in electric vehicles. This work evaluates the cradle-to-gate environmental impacts of industrial-scale NMC 811 battery production in the Visegrad countries—Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia. Norway, with its low-carbon electricity mix, is included for comparison. This study showed how differences in electricity grid profiles influence the environmental impacts of lithium ion battery (LIB) production. The battery production in Poland has the highest global warming potential and Norway, due to its cleaner electricity grid, contributed the least for the same NMC 811 battery production. Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic reported lower GWP values. These variations highlight the critical importance of decarbonizing electricity grids to reduce emissions associated with LIB production.