Plunder Road
Electric vehicles are awesome for what comes out (or doesn’t) of them. But they can be problematic when it comes to what goes in. “While electric vehicles are essential to reducing carbon emissions, their production can exact a significant human and environmental cost. To run, EVs require six times the mineral input, by weight, of conventional vehicles. These minerals, including cobalt, nickel, lithium and manganese, are finite resources. And mining and processing them can be harmful for workers, their communities and the local environment.” WaPo (Gift Article): The underbelly of electric vehicles.
+ For much more on how the demand for batteries, from your car to your phone, is felt on the other side of the world, check out Siddharth Kara’s book, Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives.