Aftonbladet's investigation into child labor and the electric car industry in 7 points

Staffan Lindberg

helskärm

The electric car giant Tesla claims to have a zero-tolerance policy against child labor.

Despite this, Aftonbladet has been able to trace mica mineral from mines with child labor in Madagascar to two of Tesla's Chinese suppliers.

BMW and Volvo Cars are also conducting business with one of the companies.

1. Climate change has triggered a famine in southern Madagascar, forcing thousands of children to mine the mineral mica for survival.

2. Mica, used in electric cars to prevent battery fires, has Madagascar as one of its largest exporting countries.

3. Aftonbladet has traced the trade of mica from a child mine in southern Madagascar through a local exporter and Chinese intermediaries, directly to two of China's largest manufacturers of mica insulation: Pamica and Glory Mica.

4. Through export data, Aftonbladet has documented 51 shipments of mica products from Pamica and Glory Mica to Tesla since October 1, 2022.

5. During the same period, Volvo Cars has received 11 deliveries from Glory Mica. Further, BMW can be linked to the same supplier.

6. Tesla and BMW claim to have a zero tolerance for child labor. Volvo Cars do not allow any collaboration with companies linked to child labor.

7. In their responses, Volvo Cars denies that the mica they purchase from Glory Mica comes from Madagascar, while Tesla and BMW refer to their internal policies against child labor.

Read Aftonbladet's investigative report from Madagascar here and the trace to electric car manufacturers here.