The United States is already a global leader in traffic-related fatalities, with a thirty-percent jump in the last decade. That’s in contrast to every other developed country, which saw a…

The United States is already a global leader in traffic-related fatalities, with a thirty-percent jump in the last decade. That’s in contrast to every other developed country, which saw a decline.

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The electric Ford Lightning, for example, is a whopping 6,500 pounds. The Hummer EV is even heavier, clocking in at 9,000 pounds. Its battery alone weighs more than a Honda Civic. Experts have pointed out the significant safety ramifications of this transition for a while, but it’s still not clear that we’ve prepared the regulatory and policy landscape for such a transition.

Even if you don’t want a giant, extremely heavy EV, the tendency to purchase such vehicles creates an arm race for everyone interested in protecting their family on the road. That in turn causes a shift away from smaller EVs in a bid to feed the elemental materials needed for ever larger EV batteries.

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“Norway, a pioneer in EV use, is considering a weight-based tax to steer buyers away from the fattest EVs (the Norwegian government recently eliminated EV purchase incentives). France already has one on SUVs. Buyers of new diesel and gasoline vehicles must pay a tax of €10 ($14.58) a kilo (2.2 pounds) above 1.8 tons. The weight threshold is to be reduced. EVs are exempt, but as those vehicles become heavier and more popular, it seems they will get swept into the weight-based tax net.”

A smattering of localities have tried to prepare for the threat. DC, for example, has imposed a creative vehicle registration fee schedule that has heavy EV truck and SUV owners paying higher registration fees than lighter EV sedans. But it’s an outlier.

  • TathasEnglish
    331·
    1 year ago

    Neat. Now do the extremely heavy, large, not-EVs.

    • Throwaway@lemm.eeEnglish
      114·
      1 year ago

      Even a fully loaded F-450 doesnt match the 9,000 pound behometh that is the electric hummer. And most truck drivers use the F-150(or brand equal), which maxes out at 5757 pounds. (Min is 4070) Still absurdly heavy, but much lighter than the Hummer.

        • Throwaway@lemm.eeEnglish
          415·
          1 year ago

          8587 isn’t quite 9000 lbs. Close, but no cigar. And the 450 is a ridiculous truck (which I just love tbh), but even in Texas, almost no one drives them. Biggest you usually see are 350s, or at least in my experience. And the 150 is just every where.

          • TathasEnglish
            8·
            1 year ago

            A 5% difference is close enough for me. You make it sound like the EV part is where all the weight is coming from when the ICE versions are already there. And please, “The hummer EV is too much but the regular hummer is fine”? The hummer is just already excess no matter what version you’re talking about.

            I see people commuting in F250s to their tech jobs cause they tow stuff once in a while, and they don’t feel safe driving the same size vehicles as 95% of the rest of traffic around them. Then they whine about parking spaces.

          • You999@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
            3·
            1 year ago

            F450s are everywhere you just don’t know they are F450s. Things like dump trucks, tow trucks, ambulances, box trucks, etc are built on top of the F450.