Cars, Cobalt and the Congo

The energy transition increases demand for minerals like cobalt, nickel, and lithium, which are often sourced from poorly regulated mines in a few countries, leading to human rights abuses and environmental damage. While recycling and new battery technologies could reduce this demand, current recycling rates remain low, and the industry requires more transparent, enforceable sustainability standards.

• Electric vehicles (EVs) significantly increase mineral demand compared to internal combustion engine vehicles, requiring over 200kg of minerals per vehicle—approximately six times the 30kg required for petrol or diesel cars. The IEA forecasts that total mineral demand could quadruple in a high-EV scenario.
• The supply of key battery metals is concentrated in a few countries, often linked to severe ethical and environmental issues. About 70% of global cobalt comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where approximately 40,000 children work in small-scale, unregulated mines. Nickel production in Indonesia has involved deep-sea disposal of waste, while lithium mining in Chile's Atacama region uses about 65% of the region's water, displacing local farmers and herders.
• A circular economy for batteries could significantly lower primary mineral demand by 2040: lithium demand could drop by 25%, and cobalt and nickel by 35%. However, current recycling rates in Europe are low, with less than 5% of li-ion batteries recycled and only 1% of lithium recovered.
• Industry players are attempting to mitigate risks through sustainability standards, supply chain tracing, and technological shifts. Volvo is deploying blockchain for tracing, and BMW has signed long-term deals with Northvolt and Managem to limit exposure to conflict minerals. Additionally, companies like BYD are developing batteries that avoid nickel and cobalt entirely.

APA

Team, Z. (2021). Cars, Cobalt and the Congo. Zero Carbon Analytics. https://zerocarbon-analytics.org/insights/briefings/cars-cobalt-and-the-congo/

Chicago

Team, ZCA. Cars, Cobalt and the Congo. Zero Carbon Analytics, 2021. https://zerocarbon-analytics.org/insights/briefings/cars-cobalt-and-the-congo/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Team |first1=ZCA |title=Cars, Cobalt and the Congo |publisher=Zero Carbon Analytics |date=20 July 2021 |url=https://zerocarbon-analytics.org/insights/briefings/cars-cobalt-and-the-congo/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{team2021cars, author = {Team, ZCA}, title = {{Cars, Cobalt and the Congo}}, institution = {Zero Carbon Analytics}, year = {2021}, month = jul, url = {https://zerocarbon-analytics.org/insights/briefings/cars-cobalt-and-the-congo/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }