Green Engineering
the Tesla Car
Team South Africa
David Kaye, Emily Curtiss, Christian Hahm
http://www.car-brand-names.com/wpcontent/uploads/2015/05/Tesla-Motors-symbol.png
The Tesla Automobile (Roadster)
What Makes a Tesla Roadster?
•
“The Gas Tank” - An environmentally non-toxic Lithium-ion battery pack
•
recyclable to reuse approximately 90% of the materials in the battery cells
•
can be charged from any wall plug and go from empty to full charge within 4 hours.
•
“The Engine” - An electric motor
•
three times more efficient than a regular internal combustion engine
•
“The Upkeep” - Does not require fluid, belt, and spark plug changes
•
“The Body” - Carbon fiber body
•
30% less mass than a regular steel body.
Gluckman, David. “Model S-pinoff: Tesla Planning Model X Crossover for Frankfurt Debut, Coupe and SUV to Follow.” Car and Driver. Feb. 3, 2011. Web.
Nov. 3, 2015.
The Tesla Automobile (Roadster)
•
The lithium-ion battery is nearly
50% lighter than a traditional hybrid
battery
•
The cooling system is so efficient
that cells on opposite sides of the
battery stay within a few degrees of
one another
•
The battery cells were designed with
a heating and cooling element so the
battery will operate in any condition.
"Battery." Roadster Technology. N.p., 26 Jan. 2011. Web. 16 Nov. 2015.
PEM-green, Battery-blue, Electric Motor-under the PEM
http://www.onelectriccars.com/category/tesla-motors/tesla-roadster/page/2/
Current Materials Dilemma
•
Graphite is a major component of electric
car batteries, and the process of
transforming it into a useable product
requires large amounts of corrosive
materials
•
This process releases many pollutants
into the atmosphere
•
The Tesla battery cannot properly be reevaluated
•
There are alternate ways to acquire these
materials to lessen their carbon footprint
Ingram, Antony. “Tesla Gigafactory Seeks North American Raw Materials To Cut Pollution.” Green Car
Reports. Apr. 20, 2014. Web. Nov. 3, 2015.
http://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.agoracom.com/public/photos/images/5188/large/26848317.jpg
Issues with Current Materials
•
Incorporating graphite and
lithium into the battery is
unclean and toxic to the
environment
•
Overseas shipping creates large
amounts of emissions and
pollution
Ingram, Antony. “Tesla Gigafactory Seeks North American Raw Materials To Cut Pollution.” Green Car
Reports. Apr. 20, 2014. Web. Nov. 3, 2015.
http://www.soleilbank.com/Shipping%20Cargo%20Boat.jpg
http://web.mit.edu/urbanupgrading/upgrading/case-examples/ce-PH-ton.html
Environmentally Friendly Alternatives
The materials used in the production of Tesla Automobiles may be sourced more
locally
• Lithium can be sourced from Rockwood in Nevada or North Carolina
• Cobalt can be sourced from Formation Metals Inc. in Idaho
Companies stationed in Canada are also a viable option
• Avalon Rare Metals Inc. in Toronto can also provide lithium
• Tesla can source its energy from RB Energy, which will soon have a plant in
Quebec
Ingram, Antony. “Tesla Gigafactory Seeks North American Raw Materials To Cut Pollution.” Green Car Reports. Apr. 20, 2014. Web. Nov. 3, 2015.
Issues with Alternatives
• Six new graphite mines would be
needed to meet the demand that
would occur from cutting foreign
sources
• The cost to purchase these
materials would increase
drastically
• Outsourced materials purchased
in high quantities are far less
expensive than locally sourced
materials
Biello, David. “How Tesla Motors Builds One of the World's Safest Cars.” Scientific American.
Sept. 23, 2013. Web. Nov. 3, 2015.
http://blog.caranddriver.com/model-s-pinoff-tesla-planning-model-x-crossover-for-frankfurt-debut-coupe-and-suv-to-follow/
Sources
Gluckman, David. “Model S-pinoff: Tesla Planning Model X Crossover for
Frankfurt Debut, Coupe and SUV to Follow.” Car and Driver. Feb. 3, 2011.
Web. Nov. 3, 2015.
"Battery." Roadster Technology. N.p., 26 Jan. 2011. Web. 16 Nov. 2015.
Ingram, Antony. “Tesla Gigafactory Seeks North American Raw Materials To Cut
Pollution.” Green Car Reports. Apr. 20, 2014. Web. Nov. 3, 2015.
Biello, David. “How Tesla Motors Builds One of the World's Safest Cars.” Scientific
American. Sept. 23, 2013. Web. Nov. 3, 2015.