Published: Mar 24, 2026The rising global demand for electric vehicles - and the various components needed for their production - is reshaping Asia’s landscapes and livelihoods, with mines expanding, refineries multiplying and factories rising.But beneath the promise of decarbonisation lies a more complicated story.As EVs roll out, costs are unfolding across the region - contested mountains, divided communities, disrupted work forces and unanswered questions about what happens when today’s technology becomes tomorrow’s waste.The transition holds much promise, but remains uneven and incomplete.CNA’s correspondents and visual journalists find out what’s the real picture in China, the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Malaysia and Mongolia.