Electric Vehicles & Mineral Mining: What We’ve Learned 

People often ask us about the raw materials in electric vehicle (EV) batteries, their implications on human rights and the environment, and what’s being done to lessen the impact. We are also concerned about these issues. As an organization doing state-based work, we are not experts in the global supply chain questions at the heart of these concerns. However, we are determined to educate ourselves and share what we learn. As a first foray, we’ve taken a deep-dive into one metal – cobalt – since it is the focus of most of the questions we receive. Here is what we’ve found. 

Hyundai has just announced that its first ever all-electric crossover SUV, the Hyundai Ioniq 5, is available for pre-order. This vehicle is truly impressive:

• Range: The Ioniq 5 is available with both RWD and AWD. The RWD option will get you 300 miles of range; the AWD option will get you 269 miles. These numbers are still estimates, not yet verified by the EPA, but they're still exciting!
• Charging: The Ioniq 5 will also have a very fast charging capability. With an 800V electrical system, the Ioniq 5 can fill a battery from 10% to 80% in less than 18 minutes or add 62 miles in 5 minutes at a DC Fast Charger. To compare, a level 2 charger can do that in a little under 7 hours. Hyundai has partnered with Electrify America to offer unlimited free 30-minute chargers at any Electrify America charging station for the first two years of ownership.

During the early years of the electrification era, the choices in electric vehicles were slim. The earliest version of the Nissan LEAF offered a comforting dose of normalcy but unfortunately was accompanied by a small electric range. Then came the super-suave Tesla with more of everything, including the sticker price. But it wasn’t until the Chevrolet Bolt came on to the scene that consumers finally had a car to choose that was highly functional and affordable.

For the last two decades, the Toyota Camry has been the reigning champion of passenger cars in the Unites States. But behind the scenes, the Toyota RAV4 had been steadily gaining speed in the race for most popular car and finally took the top spot in 2019. The Toyota RAV4 sold nearly 450,000 cars with it's slow and steady approach. In the end, the Toyota Camry didn't just lose its top spot, it came in with a measly 337,000 models sold, snatching eighth place.

In addition to our BIG DEAL panel on Phasing Out Gasoline later this month, we've got awesome webinars coming up on climate policy, installing solar, and electric cars. And they're all free!

• TCI 101: How to advocate for clean transportation in MA & RI: February 10th and 11th
• Electric Vehicles 101: February 10th
  
• Intro to EnergySage: Solar Made Easy: February 17th
• Solar Next Steps: Ask a Solar Coach: February 24th