Electric car batteries: the facts

Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery at the Volkswagen car factory in Zwickau, eastern Germany, on Feb 25. — AFP

SOTKAMO, Finland: Hailed as a route to a green, carbon-free future, electric car batteries have the world's superpowers vying for a share of what promises to be a lucrative market.

But lithium-ion batteries are not without their environmental and ethical drawbacks – here's what you need to know about the fast-developing technology.