Electric vehicle battery supply chains are marked by geographic concentration in mining and manufacturing, combined with a globalized distribution of materials. This model increases emissions, weakens resilience, and risks harming developing economies through unregulated cross-border transfers of used batteries. Meanwhile, first-life battery design focuses heavily on performance metrics like cost, range and safety, often neglecting end-of-life considerations such as repairability, recyclability and reuse potential. The lack of effective tracking systems for battery materials hinders responsible sourcing and informed decision-making across the life cycle.