Water is life. We have been hearing this since our childhood. However, what if I tell you that water is vital even for advanced machines like electric vehicles?
Last year, when asked by a journalist whether or not Tesla’s Gigafactory would cause water scarcity in the area, Elon Musk burst into laughter.
Fast forward six months and water is one of the major factors delaying the operation of the Berlin Gigafactory.
The German factory of Tesla has not been able to go operational mainly because of the water shortage in the areas around Berlin.
The €5 billion mega project of the world’s largest EV manufacturer is now in shambles.
Where Is Water Used In Auto Manufacturing?
Car production requires extensive use of water. According to an estimate, 39,000 gallons of water is required just to manufacture one car.
However, other sources claim that this figure can go up when we take tire manufacturing into account.
Some of the processes that require water usage in vehicle manufacturing include:
- Surface treatment & coating. Without this process, our cars won’t have such long-lasting paint coatings;
- Paint spray booths. These are the sprinklers that form a uniform layer of paint on the car’s surface;
- Washing, cooling, rinsing, hosing the car during the process also needs water;
- Air conditioner systems and boilers used in the manufacturing facility require water to run.
These are just a few processes of car manufacturing that require water. If a factory, for example, the Tesla Berlin Gigafactory doesn’t get enough water supply, manufacturing can take a hit.
Impact Of Tesla’s Vehicles On The Environment Compared To Other Automakers
Tesla has been heavily invested in saving the planet. After all, the company makes its bread and butter by convincing people that it is the best hope that humanity has.
In its impact report that was published last year, Tesla made claims that the water required for its vehicles is much lesser than other established brands.
However, according to the report itself, BMW requires lesser water during the manufacturing of a car than most manufacturing facilities of Tesla.
In its report on page number 28, Tesla claims that the Berlin and Texas Gigafactories are using an efficient manufacturing design.
This will pull down the amount of water required for Tesla vehicles even further.
Consequences Of Water Shortage On The Environment
The world is already dealing with severe global warming issues. So, Germany of all nations won’t allow Tesla’s Gigafactory to aggravate the situation.
Being a part of the EU, Germany has to follow strict rules. This is why taking into account the consequences of water shortage on the environment are pivotal.
One of the major problems that water shortage can cause is depleting the plants of abundant water supplies.
This will eventually dry up such plants. With the increasing global temperature, these dried plants will be at a higher risk of catching fire.
Effect Of Wild Fires On The Planet
These wildfires will add to global warming considerably in two ways:
- Firstly, the high temperature of these fires will add to the already rising global warming;
- Secondly, the fires will destroy large forests which will affect the natural habitat of wildlife. They will also deplete oxygen supplies. In this way, human health in the region will take a dip.
Another effect of global warming is that it will lead to droughts which will affect human life.
Final Verdict
Tesla is in a big problem. The company is trying hard to convince the local authorities out of the issue.
However, only time will tell the fate of this multi-billion euro project.
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