The US regulator is questioning whether the US automakers’ choices on their latest models are necessarily the right ones in terms of road safety. The reason: These electric cars—many of which are powerful and imposing models—are often heavier than their thermal counterparts.
the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) cites the example of a GMC Hummer EV that goes from 0-60 mph in less than 3 seconds, despite weighing in at over 4 tons (this manufacturer’s equivalent of “Ludicrous” mode has been adopted as “WTF mode”). ..you can’t make it up).
The United States is concerned about the arrival of heavier and more powerful electric vehicles
Or the Ford F-150 Lightning “between 900kg and 1400kg heavier than the non-electric model”. Power is already involved “Increased risk of serious injury and death for all road users as a result of the increased weight, size, power and performance of the vehicles on our roads, including electric vehicles.”notes Jennifer Homendy, chair of the NTSB.
In fact, the observation of the American regulator is logical: the heavier and more powerful the car, the more kinetic energy is delivered during a collision in the event of an accident. Speed is important too – but in the US, states and local authorities only have a say in authorized speed – and can’t really set limits on weight, size and power themselves.
In addition to pickups—these auto models are very popular in the United States (but ignored by consumers in Europe), the NTSB also notes the electric shift of some popular manufacturers on this side of the Atlantic. Like BMW, with the 2023 i4 40 showing over 2,120 kg on the scale. Or a Mini Cooper SE 2023, weighing more than 1,420 kg.
This is easily explained, and largely by the weight of the batteries. But also security systems. At the same time, electric motors are always more efficient, and the engine horsepower of the latest electric cars continues to rise – in line with the general increase in passenger car performance seen since the 1980s.
Thus, according to estimates by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the power of average cars on American roads has increased by 20% since 2004. Admittedly, fuel efficiency has increased over the same period by 35%. In fact, the real risks in the event of an accident are lower for the occupants of the vehicle than for other road users.
NHTSA, the authority that conducts crash tests on various models on the market, has forced manufacturers over time to better equip the passenger compartment – with absorbent structures, airbags and other life-saving devices every year. But it is clear that these systems have no effect on the safety of pedestrians or what happens when a collision with another vehicle at high speed.
And nothing is currently able to stop this phenomenon, especially in the United States, where consumers naturally prefer larger models. To make matters worse, there is also the concern of electric vehicle candidates on the autonomy side, prompting manufacturers to include ever heavier and larger batteries sometimes even reaching more than 500 km on a single charge.
It remains to be seen what can be done in the United States to reverse this trend. In France, as in many European countries, there is a bonus system that discourages the purchase of very heavy vehicles. It remains to be seen if a similar measure can actually be implemented in the country.
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