I keep wondering where the idea that people would just start dumping EV batteries into the trash comes from. This is not the case right now. (Totaled EVs from c

I keep wondering where the idea that people would just start dumping EV batteries into the trash comes from. This is not the case right now. (Totaled EVs from car crashes, with still working batteries, often go for tens of thousands of dollars.) EV batteries are full of extremely valuable materials. They can either be taken apart and used directly or at the very least, act as very high grade metal ores for further refinement into batteries. If people are paying money to dig significantly lower concentration metal ores out of the ground for turning into batteries, why would you scrap an existing battery instead of extracting the resources back out of them? There's already multiple companies making cash flow positive money, without government subsidies, on recycling the very few EV batteries that are on the market (keep in mind that most EV batteries that have been manufactured are currently still in EVs). This is a great mini-documentary from CNBC on EV battery recycling: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLr0GStrnwQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLr0GStrnwQ It's just not economical to just dump EV batteries so I find this common fear to be rather unfounded and I personally suspect it's rooted in campaigning by oil companies to prevent EV adoption.