According to new satellite data analysis, Elon Musk’s electric vehicle business, Tesla, cut down an estimated half a million trees while building a gigafactory near Berlin. According to Kayrros, 329 hectares (813 acres) of dense forest trees were cut down for Tesla Germany Gigafactory at the site southeast of Berlin between March 2020 and May 2023, the equivalent of approximately 500,000 trees.

The quantity of CO₂ that trees absorb varies by species. Still, a mature tree will absorb approximately 48 pounds (22 kilogrammes) of carbon annually, implying that the trees cut down for Tesla Germany Gigafactory accounted for 13,000 tonnes of CO₂, according to Kayrros principal analyst Antoine Halff.

Halff stated that the Tesla facility in Germany has resulted in a significant amount of tree chopping. Of course, the advantages of replacing internal combustion engine cars with electric ones must be weighed against.

Tesla claims its green credentials on its official site. It says that all electricity utilised at the Berlin Gigafactory, which began in 2022 after commencing work in 2020, was matched with renewables in 2023. Since May, when it was announced that the already controversial Berlin Gigafactory would be expanded, there have been regular protests there.

Environmental activists have inhabited tree huts in a nearby camp and have attempted multiple times to storm the site. One especially enraged gang was able to halt operations for a few days in March after setting fire to an electricity pylon. Musk has blasted local police for not doing enough to combat the conduct of ‘leftwing protesters.’

According to Halff, the amount of CO₂ lost by trees cut down for Tesla Germany Gigafactory, equivalent to the annual emissions of 2,800 internal combustion automobiles, is minimal compared to the carbon dioxide saved by Tesla vehicles.

“That’s a fraction of the amount of electric cars that Tesla produces and sells every quarter,” he explained. “You always have trade-offs, so you must know the parameters.”

However, the Berlin Gigafactory, Tesla’s sole manufacturing facility in Europe, has been criticized for allegedly being the root of numerous other environmental issues.

Earlier this year, German media claimed that local water officials told the Gigafactory’s executives that the wastewater the business discharged into the neighbouring Spree included phosphorus and nitrogen levels six times higher than allowed.

Tesla has responded to the charges, with Rohan Patel, the listed company’s VP of public policy and business development, asserting that Tesla recycles ‘up to 100%’ of its industrial water and that Tesla Gigafactories use 33% less water per vehicle than the industry standard.

Also Read: Climate Crisis Hinders Blood Supply In The USA: Red Cross