What goes into making EVs, where it comes from and at what human cost

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, excluding steel and aluminum.

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.

EVs have already secured a prominent place on our roads: They account for more than 10 percent of new-car sales globally. Recent U.S. legislation and regulations are expected to further increase demand.

Projections show global EV sales surpassing gas-vehicle sales before 2040.

As the demand for EVs rises, so will the demand for the minerals inside their batteries.

... underneath the floor of your car is an approximately 900-pound battery block containing materials that have been mined from the ground, sent around the world and put through complex chemical processing to fuel your ride from point A to point B.

That supply chain has a significant human and environmental toll.

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