Steel, body and batteries – EV nightmare
A comprehensive evaluation conducted by a coalition of labor and environmental organizations assessed the top 18 automakers across various criteria to envision a cleaner supply chain for electric vehicles (EVs).
The assessment spotlighted critical areas like human rights concerns and the environmental impact of key materials used in EV production, such as steel, aluminum, and lithium-ion batteries.
EV nightmare
These materials, integral to EV manufacturing, contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, with steel and aluminum industries alone emitting about 10% of all greenhouse gases.
Furthermore, steel and aluminum constitute over half the weight of an EV, making the automotive industry a major consumer of these materials. Despite this, progress in reducing emissions from steel and aluminum production has been minimal, with many automakers failing to push suppliers towards climate-friendly practices.
Of particular concern is the battery, comprising a significant portion of an EV’s weight. While some companies have adopted lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries to mitigate supply chain risks associated with nickel and cobalt, others have lagged in addressing emissions from battery production.
Annie Sartor, aluminum campaign director at Industrious Labs, emphasized the pivotal role automakers play in driving transformation within the steel and aluminum industries, given their substantial purchasing power.
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Chris Alford, senior strategist for auto supply chains at the Sunrise Project, underscored the importance of relying on official company disclosures to assess their actions, prioritizing tangible implementation over mere commitments or targets.
Overall, the assessment highlighted the urgent need for automakers to address environmental concerns throughout the EV supply chain, from raw material extraction to manufacturing processes, to realize a truly sustainable automotive industry. Assessment by labor and environmental groups reveals automakers’ inadequate efforts in tackling environmental issues in an EV nightmare scenario!
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