A French startup is tapping the hidden potential of daisies to gather metals needed for electric vehicle batteries. Researchers suggest this plant-based approach could reduce reliance on traditional mining, offering a cleaner and cheaper way to meet growing EV demand.
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French startup promises more EVs, fewer mines by pulling metals from DAISIES
Photo by Electrek
Key Takeaways:
- Plants can collect the metals needed for EV batteries in their roots
- Research indicates this process may be cleaner and cheaper than conventional mining
- Government backing points to a broader push for greener transportation solutions
- New methods could pave the way for more electric vehicles with fewer mines
- Fast-growing species may play a critical role in decarbonizing the transportation sector
A Pioneering French Startup
A French startup aims to revolutionize how we source the metals necessary for electric vehicles by looking not deep underground, but at fields of daisies. Their concept, highlighted in the news feed’s title, promises “more EVs, fewer mines” by effectively harvesting these metals from plants.
Backing from Government Researchers
In the eyes of government researchers in the United States and abroad, there is vast potential for hardy, fast-growing plants to reduce our dependence on traditional mining. As the article notes, “Government researchers in the US and abroad believe we could help decarbonize and electrify the transportation sector with hardy, fast-growing plants…”
How Plant-Based Extraction Works
These specialized plants collect the metals needed to manufacture electric vehicle batteries in their roots, a process science calls phytoextraction. According to the original report, the plan is to “then harvest those metals later with a process that’s cleaner and cheaper than traditional mineral mining.”
Benefits for EV Batteries
By gathering the critical materials right out of the ground—essentially using daisies as powerful metal filters—this method could streamline the supply chain for EV batteries. The approach offers the promise of a more sustainable and cost-effective way to meet rising global demands for electric transportation.
Toward Fewer Mines
Advocates of this plant-based technique believe it can reduce the need for large-scale mineral mines, thereby alleviating some of the environmental and economic challenges associated with sourcing precious metals. If successful, this pioneering approach could reshape our reliance on conventional mining operations while supporting a cleaner, electrified future.
