Are smaller EVs the key to sustainable e-mobility?

Electric vehicles (EVs) have attracted considerable attention for their zero tailpipe emissions, but simultaneously raise concerns about the environmental impact of their supply chain. These models rely on critical metals such as copper, nickel and lithium, the extraction of which has been linked to various environmental and social concerns. Along with the problems around child labour and inhumane working conditions that have long plagued the mining sector, extraction processes can cause deforestation and damage to local biodiversity. One of the biggest concerns is around water pollution from toxic waste disposal or waste dams sliding and polluting the wider ecosystem.