With the rise in popularity and demand for electric vehicles (EVs), there has been a concurrent expansion of battery production across the world. Tesla is exploring opening a new factory and mining facility in Ontario, Canada, to keep up with this increased demand and production.
Ontario has an established nickel and cobalt mining industry, two minerals necessary to manufacture lithium-ion batteries for EVs, smartphones, and other devices. While moving away from traditional, dirty energy-based cars would reduce air pollution overall, many are concerned about the destructive process of mining these minerals. As the world produces millions of phones, computers, and EVs, regions with high deposits of these minerals are becoming highly contested and highly profitable.
There is a finite amount of the resources needed to produce batteries for electric vehicles, so EV manufacturers like Tesla have a financial stake in controlling access to those materials. In August 2022, Tesla began lobbying the Ontario government for battery production facilities.
With rich deposits in Canada, Tesla could secure a partnership closer to the United States and avoid depending on countries farther away from the company’s target market for those necessary minerals.
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