Why Tesla & Lithium-Ion Aren’t the Future

How battery technology will determine the real future of green energy

Unless you’ve been living on a remote Pacific island for the last decade or so (in which case, can I please join you?) the name Elon Musk will be overly-familiar. He’s the gentleman who’s got one supreme talent: the ability to extract billions of dollars from over-excited venture capitalists and others who play with institutional money.

Musk claims he wants to “save the planet” or at least delay its collapse until such time as his billionaire’s panic room on Mars is ready for occupation. Presumably it takes quite a long time to ship all the caviar and champagne necessary to enjoy life on our distant arid and lifeless planetary neighbor. Staving off environmental collapse therefore, in Musk’s teen techno dream, involves everyone driving around in electric cars. Supposedly this will reduce pollution and the overall environmental impact of personal mobility.

Unfortunately, a Tesla is in fact more harmful for the environment than a regular automobile. Unless all the electricity used to charge its batteries comes from renewable sources, all a Tesla does is require more coal and gas and oil to be burned in power stations.

Musk therefore claims that his investment in Lithium-ion battery technology will help move us from fossil fuels…