Tesla Vehicles: Revolutionizing the Automotive Industry

Tesla Vehicles: Revolutionizing the Automotive Industry

As both a lover of cars and of technology in general, I have found myself fascinated with the Tesla vehicles, first the Model S and Model X, and the now the newly released Model 3. The Model S is Tesla’s first sedan, while the Model X is an SUV. This past March a second sedan, the Model 3, was introduced. It is a smaller, lower cost vehicle that will be available in 2018. Not only are these vehicles stylish, sleek, and becoming more affordable, but as electric powered vehicles they are helping to solve the problem of America’s dependence on fossil fuels. We as a society have known the dangers of our dependence on fossil fuels for many decades. Not only does this dependence pose a threat to our national security (because the U.S. relies on some unstable governments to obtain fossil fuels), but it also poses an even bigger threat to our environment. Cars and vehicles are some of the biggest users of fossil fuels, emitting millions of tons of greenhouse gases into the air each year. Companies such as Tesla are leading the charge in changing how we treat the environment, and doing it with advanced technology and style. 

Electric Cars and The Automobile Industry’s Pushback

      Electric cars have been around for some time. However, their emergence has been met with a great deal of pushback from the automotive industry. A recent article written by Rona Fried of Sustainable Business, states that even under the Trump administration, the automotive industry is pushing back on fuel efficiency standards set by the Obama administration (Fried, 2017). These automakers purport that electric car sales are slow, but simultaneously thwart progress of these sales by not stocking electric vehicles at dealerships, and not training salespeople how to sell these vehicles (Fried, 2017). Despite this pushback, concerns about our reliance on fossil fuels and the damage they inflict on the planet continue to mount and spur innovators to push for electric vehicles. This push is beginning to pay off. Technology is improving and electric vehicles are steadily rising in popularity, making the prices of these vehicles decrease to the point where they are becoming affordable to the average consumer. As proof of the increased affordability of these vehicles, Tesla’s latest Model 3, starts at $35,000 (Tesla, 2017). As Tesla’s other two models begin around $100,000, this is the company’s most affordable vehicle (Tesla, 2017).

Tesla’s Innovative Technology

     Tesla vehicles are particularly fascinating because of their design and the advanced technology used to build their electric motors. The electric motor aids the environment by eliminating or reducing our dependence on fossil fuels, as well as reducing emissions of greenhouse gases that increase global warming by trapping harmful gases in the atmosphere (Fossil Fuels, 2017). Today, we know that the biggest threat to the ozone layer, which protects all of us from dangerous sun rays, is the overabundance of carbon dioxide in the air. Tesla’s vehicles are helping to reduce this harm, which will prevent skin cancer and other harms from becoming even worse concerns than they currently are. The decrease in dependence on fossil fuels can reduce environmentally harmful and dangerous mining practices. 

      Not only are the Tesla vehicles impressive due to their electric motors, but also because of the technology inside their vehicles. Tesla’s vehicles contain features that allow for autopilot driving, GPS, supercharging and more than two hundred miles of travel on one charge alone. All of this is provided in a vehicle that can go from 0 to 60 mph in less than six seconds (Tesla.com). The sleek design makes the cars look enticing from the outside, and drivers only have to tap on the door handle for the door to unlock and open. These features make the Tesla vehicles appealing to those who are interested in preserving the environment and want to look stylish while doing it. The recent Model 3 is the most likely to gain interest among the average consumer since it is the most affordable version to date. While Tesla is certainly not the only electric car company on the market, it is leading the charge towards increasing our national security, lowering the cost of energy for Americans, and ensuring a safer and healthier environment.   

Works Cited

Fossil Fuels Affect the Environment - Alternative to Fossil Fuels. (2017). Retrieved from 

http://science.jrank.org/kids/pages/156/Fossil-Fuels-Affect-Environment.html#ixzz4l1fpxens

Fried, R. (2017). Auto Industry Gets Fuel Economy Bailout, While Oil Industry Goes After 

Electric Cars. SustainableBusiness.com. Retrieved from http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/auto-industry-gets-fuel-economy-bailout-oil-industry-goes-electric-cars/

Tesla. (2017). Tesla.com