Heavy electric vehicles (EVs) cause twice as much damage to road surfaces than their combustion-powered equivalents, a report Tuesday has claimed.
A UK study led by the University of Leeds found the average electric car puts 2.24 times more stress on roads than a similar petrol vehicle – and 1.95 more than a diesel. Larger electric vehicles can cause up to 2.32 times more damage to roads.
The stress on roads causes greater movement of asphalt which can lead to small cracks and eventually expand into potholes with local government authorities left to repair the damage.
Impact is even bigger with larger EVs, which can lead to up to 2.32 times more damage to road infrastructure, according to the report as outlined by the Daily Telegraph.
The increased weight of EVs can be primarily attributed to their heavy batteries, which can weigh up to 500 kilograms.
Hurricane Ian Has Turned Electric Vehicles into Ticking Time Bombs: “Extreme Hazard” pic.twitter.com/MW8XlQMUbO
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) October 8, 2022
This is not the first time EVs have come under scrutiny for their on-road weight.
As Breitbart News reported, the safety risks posed by heavy electric vehicles in any collision with lighter vehicles has pushed the head of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board to issue a general warning to all road users.
The official, Jennifer Homendy, raised the issue in a speech in Washington to the Transportation Research Board when she pointed, by way as an example, to an electric GMC Hummer that weighs about 9,000 pounds with a battery pack that alone is 2,900 pounds — roughly the entire weight of a typical Honda Civic.
“I’m concerned about the increased risk of severe injury and death for all road users from heavier curb weights and increasing size, power, and performance of vehicles on our roads, including electric vehicles,” Homendy said in remarks prepared for the group.