# 'Green' Cars Aren't As 'Green' As You'd Assume



## EVDL Archive (Jul 26, 2007)

Matt DiLallo focuses on the energy costs of producing aluminum, which is used extensively in Tesla Motors electric cars, as well as other motor vehicles.

More...


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## Grant_NZ (May 28, 2008)

News Bot said:


> Matt DiLallo focuses on the energy costs of producing aluminum, which is used extensively in Tesla Motors electric cars, as well as other motor vehicles.
> 
> More...


.....and the number of Model S drivers who eat takeaways from a drive through that don't recycle their paper bags... etc etc etc. Another far reaching blow hole trying to get dirt on Tesla.


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## Duncan (Dec 8, 2008)

News Bot said:


> Matt DiLallo focuses on the energy costs of producing aluminum, which is used extensively in Tesla Motors electric cars, as well as other motor vehicles.
> 
> More...



Funny thing is the energy used to make most Aluminium comes from "Green" sources

We have the biggest smelter in the southern hemisphere - uses hydro power
The biggest smelter in the other hemisphere is in Iceland, that uses Geothermal power


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## PhantomPholly (Aug 20, 2008)

Duncan said:


> Funny thing is the energy used to make most Aluminium comes from "Green" sources
> 
> We have the biggest smelter in the southern hemisphere - uses hydro power
> The biggest smelter in the other hemisphere is in Iceland, that uses Geothermal power


Yes it does - and when they figured out they couldn't economically transmit their excess power to Europe by cable they built a second plant.

Go, Iceland!


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## sergiu tofanel (Jan 13, 2014)

Regardless where the electricity comes from, aluminum smelting is an energy hog. By the same argument, Al Gore is entitled to fly in a private jet and maintain a 10,000 sq ft mansion because he can afford to buy carbon credits. That being said, Tesla is not worse for the environment than a Toyota Corolla, and that's good enough for me. Henry Ford did not invent the automobile, but he brought it to the masses. I hope that Musk will accomplish the same thing with the electric car.


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## jeremyjs (Sep 22, 2010)

Focusing on the aluminum seems like kind of a wash. It's pretty much infinitely recyclable, just like steel, and saves significant energy in an automotive environment; because of it's lighter weight. Valuable, recycelable metals are almost never discarded when the product wears out. It's shredded, sorted, melted back down, and made into new products, just like the metals in the battery will be.


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## esoneson (Sep 1, 2008)

The writer of the article is not an engineer, or an environmentalist, or a scientist.
Truth is not what he seeks.
The writer is a buffoon looking for 'data' to support his opinion......much like Al Gore.


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## Duncan (Dec 8, 2008)

sergiu tofanel said:


> Regardless where the electricity comes from, aluminum smelting is an energy hog. By the same argument, Al Gore is entitled to fly in a private jet and maintain a 10,000 sq ft mansion because he can afford to buy carbon credits.



Utter nonsense

If the energy is available (which it is) 
and there is no other user (which there is not - location)

Then you may as well use it - or else it will simply be wasted -


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## aeroscott (Jan 5, 2008)

Teslas performance comes from it's motor and battery not a 200-300 lbs. reduction in weight because of aluminum. It may be 40% less weight but it has fatigue issues , ie; use more to stay out of the fatigue range(loading it less) saving about 20-30% over steel .


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## Caps18 (Jun 8, 2008)

And I have half a truckbed full of aluminum cans that I picked up along the side of the road on my bicycle commute to work (starting in April) because we don't have deposits on cans in this state. Recycling cans or other scrap uses much less energy than trying to make new aluminum. It is also the best way to reduce the price of aluminum.

The Tesla is still much greener than any other non-ev car out there.


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