Japanese company Panasonic has pledged to halve the amount of cobalt used in batteries developed for Tesla in the next two to three years. The move is part of a broader push by automakers and other manufacturers to reduce their use of cobalt, which can be toxic if not properly managed. Cobalt demand is predicted to double in the next eight years to 225,000 tonnes annually, while mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which often use child labour, are askew with Tesla and Panasonic's pledge to use sustainable resources.
Japanese company Panasonic has pledged to halve the amount of cobalt used in batteries developed for Tesla in the next two to three years. The cobalt level is around 10% for the firm's nickel-cobalt-aluminium batteries, while Tesla has reduced the amount of the mineral by 60% in the past six years to 4.5kgs per car. Cobalt demand is predicted to double in the next eight years to 225,000 tonnes annually, while mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which often use child labour, are askew with Tesla and Panasonic's pledge to use sustainable resources.