First, the various environmental and social problems associated with lithium battery production are certainly problems, but that does not necessarily mean they are climate change problems. One thing "the left" is going to have to struggle with in coming decades is the relative values of things like social justice and economic parity within the context of overwhelming climate change considerations.

Second, the lithium battery approach for cars is simply an attempt to replace the current ICE car model with something that doesn't use carbon-based fuels. Considering that the automobile model is only in the neighborhood of 50-75 years old, it could certainly be replaced by a model based on mass transportation, or no transportation.

Third, the use of lithium batteries in the electrical power grid is a pretty important component of a wind- and solar-powered system. Again, the electric light is only around 150 years old; there's no reason people can't go to bed at 7:00 PM like they did in the good old days. Although that idea would not fly...