It’s a damned good thing you’ve brought up this point that as I’m sure none of the thousands of businesses and engineers involved in designing, developing, building, distributing, maintaining and repairing these EVs would have ever considered.

I’m certain they will appreciate your learned and well informed concerns that aren’t at all laced with absurd nonsense fed to you by your chosen media sources who definitely aren’t backed by companies that stand to lose out in the shift to EVs.

And of course, anyone who would prefer to drive a car that is quieter, more efficient, requires less maintenance, has better tech, and allows them to refuel at home, overnight must definitely only be buying that car to show off how green they are.

It would be unbelievable to think that electric motors are already being designed which don’t require cobalt, or batteries which use sodium instead of lithium. Absurd! Impossible! Because nobody has ever considered your brilliant position that using more cobalt will increase the demand for it and that there are concerns about its sourcing.

And of course, the only possible way to get cobalt is through deadly child slave labour and that definitely could not possibly change despite the enormous potential income available to other mining companies that might want to get in on that windfall.

What sensible and original thoughts you offer us, oh learned one.