Impact Report 2023: Each Tesla on the road avoids about 51 tons of C02e

Tesla has released some big figures in its 2023 Impact Report, focussing on how much of the natural resources can be saved if the global economy transitions to a fully sustainable model.

The report claims that each Tesla vehicle on the road saves nearly 50 tonnes of carbon emissions, and pays back the added emissions from the manufacturing process within three years. The report states that “after 17 years of driving, a Tesla vehicle will avoid approximately 51 metric tons of C02e. Charging EVs becomes greener over time as electricity generation becomes cleaner.”

It claims that if the world fully transitions to clean energy, the annual extraction of fossil fuels can be reduced by over 16 billion metric tonnes. As per the figures mentioned, of the 68 billion tons of materials extracted from the earth each year, fossil fuel extraction makes up 18 billion tons. So, with a fully sustainable global economy, total global extraction of natural resources can come down by almost 22%, factoring in an additional three billion tonnes of “sustainable economy materials.”

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Also Read: Glass Lewis advises Tesla shareholders to reject Musk’s USD 56 bn pay package

The 2023 Impact Report also talks about Tesla’s battery production. It is a critical aspect as the battery production process adds about six metric tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Tesla’s data reveals that “even after 200,000 miles of usage (the average life of a vehicle in the U.S.), our batteries in Model 3 and Model Y lose just 15% of their capacity on average, while batteries in Model S and Model X lose just 12% of their capacity on average.” In 2023, Tesla recovered 2,431 metric tons of Nickel, 117 tons of Cobalt, 860 tons of Copper, and 329 tons of Lithium in its recycling facility in Austin, Texas.

The report also notes that Tesla is averaging less than 2.5 cubic metres of water per vehicle at its gigafactories, compared to the industry average of 3.37 cubic meters. “In 2023, Tesla solar owners generated enough zero-emissions electricity to power all Tesla locations, including manufacturing, support, research, sales, service and delivery locations—more than three times,” the report states.