Reducing Carbon Emissions

We are often asked if electric vehicles (EVs) are more sustainable than internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. The environmental impact of zero-emission transport and energy products, like the products that Tesla produces and sells, is undeniably more positive than the greenhouse gas-emitting alternatives.

Energy Efficiency

Tesla vehicles are known to have the highest energy efficiency of any EV built to date. The energy efficiency of Tesla vehicles will continue to improve further over time as we continue to improve our technology and powertrain efficiency. This way, we will minimize cost for our customers as well as reduce the carbon footprint per mile driven.

Pollution Kills

Electric vehicles are not only important due to reduction of CO2 in the atmosphere, but also due to reduction of poisonous gases around us. Pollutants cause about 4.2 million deaths every year globally. According to researchers, such pollutants cause more premature deaths than smoking or infectious disease. EVs not only reduce the total carbon footprint, but also help to reduce city pollution.

Autopilot Safety

Safety is essential to us. Our commitment to safety is why all Tesla vehicles built since October 2016 come with a suite of external cameras, additional sensors and onboard computing that enable enhanced advanced safety features, all of which we continue to improve over time through software updates.

Agency	Model X	Model 3
NHTSA US New Car Assessment Program NCAP
European New Car Assessment Programme Euro NCAP
Australasian New Car Assessment Program ANCAP
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety IIHS	★★★★★ Not Rated	Received 2019 Top Safety Pick* Earned the highest possible rating ("Good" or "Superior") in each of the crashworthiness and crash avoidance/mitigation tests required for the Top Safety Pick + award

Car Safety Awards

All of Tesla's safety features come standard with every vehicle and our ratings are based on our standard safety equipment. In 2019, Tesla vehicles earned 5-star ratings from safety rating agencies across the world.

Fire Safety

From 2012 to 2019, there has been approximately one Tesla vehicle fire for every 175 million miles traveled. By comparison, data from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and U.S. Department of Transportation show that in the U.S. there is one ICE vehicle fire for every 19 million miles traveled. As we continue to improve our battery chemistry, cell structure, battery pack structure and vehicle passive safety, fires will be even less likely for our EVs.

Learn more about how Tesla is accelerating
the world's transition to sustainable energy Learn more about how Tesla is accelerating
the world's transition to sustainable energy

View Report

2019 Impact Report