Tesla owners, you could be owed $15,000 to $25,000 or a new battery replacement. The actual amount will depend on the model, battery size within that model, and trim (e.g., long range/performance/standard) and generally starts at about $13,000, plus a reasonable additional $2,000 for installation labor and other new parts required to install.
What is this about?
Tesla’s Supplier Code of Conduct tells its customers that “Suppliers [of cobalt for its car batteries] shall have a zero-tolerance policy to prohibit any and all forms of bribery, corruption, extortion, and embezzlement, and that “Suppliers are committed to uphold the human rights of workers, and to treat them with dignity . . . .” On the contrary, however, Tesla purchases cobalt from Glencore, a supplier that has been convicted in U.S. Federal Court of fraud, bribery, and theft of cobalt from the Democratic Republic of he Congo, a country that permits theft and bribery and harvests its cobalt under inhumane labor conditions.
Why Should I care?
If you bought a Tesla with the expectation that the car was not made with corruptly obtained supplies or under inhumane labor conditions, you may want to hold Tesla liable for misrepresenting these promises to you.
What’s in it for me?
You may be entitled to a clean new battery or its cash value. Owning a Tesla with a “dirty” battery may well diminish the car’s resale value when you choose to sell it.
Do I Qualify as a Potential Plaintiff?
If you have purchased or leased a Tesla within the last four years, you qualify as a potential plaintiff to seek money damages for Tesla’s misrepresentations of the contents of your battery.