Tesla´s Electric Cars: What´s Sustainable Development?

In theory, electric cars are not truly zero emissions because of the pollution that comes from the electricity generation. However, according to the article “Energy, Technology, Policy”, Kelly Rodgers talks about a few reasons why electric cars are better than gas powered. She claims that, “An electric car reduces 35-60% less carbon dioxide emission from electricity than the CO2 pollution from the gasoline of a conventional car with an internal combustion engine. The Department of Energy estimates that a gasoline car emits 75 lbs. of CO2 during a 100-mile trip, in comparison to 32 lbs. of CO2 emissions from a power plant to generate enough electricity to power an electric car for the same 100 miles.” In some areas, where they rely largely on renewable power such as solar, wind or hydro, the emissions are even further less for electric cars. As soon as we turn the key to our car, different types of gasses and particles pollute our air that create detrimental effects on the environment. One of the most deadliest to our ozone layer would be carbon dioxide. According to the environmental protection agency, carbon dioxide enters

Even with tires and gearing optimized for performance (rather that absolute efficiency), the Tesla Roadster only consumes about 110 watt-hours (0.40 mega-joules) of electricity from the battery to drive a kilometer, or 2.53 km/MJ. 8

Through all of this information, Tesla and traditional gas powered car owners have learned more about the Tesla and how it is not as environmentally friendly as society may portray it to be. Hopefully the readers of this paper learn that you must be educated before they buy a certain product.

They sell electric vehicles, and electric vehicles only. The most popular car Tesla has released is the Model S, which is a luxury electric sedan that sells for $70,000. The Model S was voted the Motor Trend Car of 2013, and according to Tesla is one of the safest cars ever, but there is one big difference from any other electric car. The battery in each Tesla car is actually made up of thousands of lithium-ion cells, which is different than most electric vehicles. Electricity charges a battery to give the Model S power for a certain period of time, and is similar to a laptop or smartphone. In fact, the company uses lithium-ion batteries just like the type that powers laptops worldwide. This is the key difference between a Tesla electric car and a hybrid, it is all electric and has to be charged, but a car such as a Prius runs partially on gasoline but does not have to be charged. There are a few ways to charge the car. Tesla suggest you get a high power wall charger installed, and there are also supercharging stations across the United States and Canada. When fully charged, the Model S can travel at 55 miles per hour for up to 300 miles. The technology that is put in these cars is so far ahead of the competition; Tesla could very easily be the car company of the future.

The most commonly used definition of sustainable development is still that given in the report of the World Commission on Environment and Development (1987), i.e. sustainable development is ‘a process to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’ Sustainable development is therefore about creating a better life for all people in ways that will be as viable in the future as they are at present. In other words, sustainable development is based on principles of sound husbandry of the world’s resources, and on equity in the way those resources are used and in the way in which the benefits obtained from them are distributed (Making Tourism More Sustainable, 2005).

Global sustainability is multi-faceted topic and is very complex. However, at its essence, global sustainability is defined as using your resources wisely today to give your children a better life tomorrow. It is the balance between using enough to develop right now but leaving enough for future generations. For example, if we were only looking at preserving the environment and not developing it, we might use none of the resources and leave them to be. But the problem with that is that then there is no resources for us to use. On the other hand, if we were just looking to develop the land, we would use all of our resources, but then there would be no more left for the future. Thus, I want our

Tesla Motor’s competitive advantage is producing purely electric vehicles that can compete with gas powered vehicles in terms of style, performance, and roominess. There are some other purely electric vehicles. However, they are all quite small in comparison and styled in that smart car shape. Whereas, Tesla’s Roadster has a body that is sleek and sporty. Then they have a Model S which is a roomy sedan.

Tesla and the environment people are really concerned about all the material used to build Tesla cars, they are having different opinions where some people think Tesla is using rare earth materials and it is not actually environmental, which is not really accurate, and many electric-vehicle batteries contain rare-earth minerals that are hard to come by and costly to extract. The Tesla’s AC induction motors don’t use rare-earth magnets. The more you drive it, the greener it becomes and mainly electric cars are squeaky clean, of course, in the sense that they don’t burn gas. with no car engine, no gas tank, and no exhaust, they’re considered as zero-emissions vehicles.

The issue with gas engines is that you have one engine that you have to rely on but with the tesla you have two and can use the efficiency of them as such (Murray 1) the extra engine allows much better efficiency and a better gas mileage cutting the amount of gas needed down and time on the road checking out locations that you once couldn't get

We burn fossil fuel everyday by driving cars. EIA estimates that U.S. motor gasoline and diesel fuel consumption for transportation in 2016 resulted in the emission of about 1,102 million metric tons of carbon dioxide and 437 million metric tons of CO2, respectively, for a total of 1,540 million metric tons of CO2. Tesla is one of the only company’s that was able to make a full electric car. Even thought the prices for the cars is very expensive, the car only runs on a mere battery. If we are able to mass produce more batteries thats much more affordable, we can replace large amount of cars today with electric powered cars and reduce the amount of fossil fuel that is burned.

Their slogan is, “Burn rubber, not gasoline.” This is extremely beneficial for the company because it gives them a brand image and a concentration, as well as the ability to focus all of their efforts on being the best at electric vehicles. They’ve entirely ignored alternatives like diesel, ethanol, and hybrids. They’ve strayed from the known gas-electric hybrid, and plug-in hybrid to focus on their initial goal; zero-emissions, zero fuel. Competing companies like Ford, Chevrolet, and Toyota are famous for the combination car, that can’t be considered a true electric vehicle without the plug-in and charge feature, and by still being partially fuel driven. On top of that, the Tesla Model S uses about half the energy of a Toyota Prius per mile, and achieves double the range. By focusing exclusively on the true electric vehicle, with a mindset that oil could run out one day, Tesla is unique and far ahead of the game.

Tesla Motors Incorporated, an American company that designs, produces, and sells electric vehicles and their electric components, has become one of the fastest growing car companies in recent history. The company’s main goal was to start creating electric vehicles that were accessible and affordable to the public. Founded in 2003 and taking off successfully by 2009, Tesla Motors started selling the first mass-produced vehicle to use lithium-ion battery cells and hold a range of greater than 200 miles on just one charge. Along with building their own electric vehicle models, Tesla also builds electric powertrain components for vehicles from other automakers including cars such as the Toyota RAV4 electric vehicle. Tesla has begun to maximize

Cars are used by many people all over the world to get them from place to place. Most of these cars are powered by gasoline, some are powered by diesel, and some newly cars are powered electrically. Many people believe that electric cars can be the future of the car industry, but will most other car companies hurt from this? Electric cars use an electric motor to power the car instead of an engine, the owner of an electric car recharges the battery inside the car to power the motor. According to Tesla Motors, an electric car company, “Tesla possesses a high powered wall connector, which completely recharges the car in under 4 hours, and at max power, the high powered wall connector charges at a speed of 56 miles range per hour”(Tesla Motors “Tesla Vehicles Provide Attractive Environmental Benefits” 6). While electric cars do not have as much range as gas-powered cars, no emissions are made from the electric battery, which in result ends up benefiting to the environment.

Tesla’s greatest opportunity over industry competitors is its unique product. Unlike other EVs on the market, Tesla leaves others behind with the Model S covering nearly 300 miles per vehicle charge. None of the previously mentioned EVs can travel 100 miles per charge, ranging instead between 68 to 93 miles per charge (Schaal, 2015). This high-range combined with luxury features and lower

Sustainable development is defined as “Development that meets the needs of the present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (IISD, par. 1 ).