The construction of a Tesla factory near Berlin has conservationists protesting against the environmental impact it would have. So, is e-mobility always eco-friendly or is it just a way to shift the issue?

When we talk about batteries for electric cars, we usually mean lithium batteries.
Until not long ago, these batteries were in demand by sectors such as popular electronics but after Tesla launched its electric vehicle revolution, demand increased both in terms of volume and in terms of intensity.

To date, lithium is readily available as well as recyclable. However, recycling it is not easy, and the process is more expensive and complicated than getting it in the first place.

A good alternative is reusing it: when exhausted accumulators can no longer power an electric car, they can be reused as electricity storage batteries to power houses and buildings. The automotive sector should thus work together with governments and other institutions to improve an effective recycling and reusing network

As, if we travel by electric car but power it with electricity that comes from non-renewable sources, we haven’t solved the problem.
But renewable energy is only one fourth of the entire production of electricity in the world, a far cry from what we would need for a truly “carbon free” world.

Therefore, e-mobility gives us a chance to start a much-needed renovation of our electric networks, trying to avoid variations, peaks, overloading, and everything that has shown itself to be a barrier to the use of renewable sources.

In addition to increasing the use of renewable energy, moving towards the idea of e-mobility means also developing and experimenting with new ICT (Information and Communication Technology) solutions which can make automobile engineering easier.

But parallel to the development and spread of e-mobility, we also need to work on sustainable mobility in all its forms: public transport, car/bike sharing, micro-mobility, bicycle paths, pedestrian areas, etc.
Why? Because reworking the whole mobility network of a city means rethinking the city itself, changing that part of the culture that influences people in their choice of transportation.
Moving on to e-mobility, therefore, offers a great number of opportunities But all phases need to be carefully studied, developed, and put in place.
But it is only by creating a recycling and reusing chain, strengthening the electric networks, supporting renewable energy and digital technology, and evolving the whole idea of the city that we can turn e-mobility into its - better - eco-friendly version.

That is why it is reductive to only talk about electric cars when we discuss Tesla;
After all, the company’s mission is “to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy.”
Differently from other car manufacturers who aim simply to sell as many cars as possible, Tesla wants to help the world turn to sustainable, renewable energy. And that cannot avoid passing through a change in our idea of mobility.

Moreover, Tesla boasts a fairly structured system complete with photovoltaic panels and solar roofs for the production of electricity, Powerwall storage batteries, and electric vehicles.
That’s why Tesla’s technical office focuses on designing the machines that produce the cars themselves - what better way than this to turn the plant into a product in its own right?

The first Master Plan  written and published by Elon Musk in August 2006 had as its main goal to explain how the company’s actions and philosophy fell within a wider picture. And today, just like back then, the main focus is to bring on the advent of sustainable energy.

“Create a limited edition car, a costly luxury item.
Use what you’ve earned to produce a car with a greater production run, and thus cheaper. Then use that money to produce a mass-production car, cheaper still. And... supply solar energy.”
(Elon Musk, Co-Founder & CEO of Tesla Motors)

Today Tesla is entering into the second phase of the Master Plan.