Yes, because despite both being extracted out of the ground, fuel you don’t get to keep once spent, while lithium you can!

Coal is becoming super uneconomical for power generation, with a relative abundance of natural gas (edit March 10 though still vulnerable to shocks) which itself (talking about the byproducts after burning it for electricity) is far better for the environment and doesn’t require a complete overhaul of the boilers. Renewables are becoming cheaper every year so long term, despite Republicans’ best efforts to play big government when they feel like it and go against the free market, renewables will proliferate increasing the impact of electric cars over gas. Better transport alternatives like bikes buses and trains are the best way, but EVs are a marginally acceptable alternative for car-brained societies.