Child labor has been associated with small-scale mining for the mineral cobalt in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Because minerals from different mining operations are mixed together in the supply chain, it is very hard to separate out which batteries are made with ethically sourced minerals. To address this, digital battery identifiers are being created to track battery minerals and introduce more transparency to the battery supply chain. In addition, newer battery chemistries such as Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries do not contain cobalt. LFP batteries are currently available in some Ford and Tesla models and will soon be available in vehicles manufactured by GM, Rivian, and BMW.
Are EV batteries made with child labor?
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