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NTSB Thinks Heavy Electric Vehicles Are Becoming Dangerous for Other Road Users

Electric vehicles have proved to be generally safer than their ICE equivalents, thanks in part to their heavier weight. Nevertheless, crashing into an EV is a different story, and the NTSB has voiced concerns about the dangers the heavy EVs pose to other road users.
The NTSB thinks heavy electric vehicles are becoming dangerous for other road users 6 photos
Photo: GMC
The NTSB thinks heavy electric vehicles are becoming dangerous for other road usersThe NTSB thinks heavy electric vehicles are becoming dangerous for other road usersThe NTSB thinks heavy electric vehicles are becoming dangerous for other road usersThe NTSB thinks heavy electric vehicles are becoming dangerous for other road usersThe NTSB thinks heavy electric vehicles are becoming dangerous for other road users
Physics tells us that the heavier an object is, the less likely it is to be influenced by other, lighter objects. This is all the more true in the case of a car crash, where heavier vehicles tend to act like a concrete barrier for lighter ones. You certainly wouldn’t want to crash into a heavy truck while in a small family car. Nevertheless, other heavy vehicles on the road might prove just as dangerous to crash into.

As hard as it is to believe, electric vehicles fall into this category. Thanks to the hefty batteries on board, EVs are generally heavier than their ICE equivalents. Take the case of the GMC Hummer EV, for instance, and you’ll understand. The luxury electric pickup truck weighs over 9,000 pounds (4,100 kg), with the battery pack alone weighing more than a regular family sedan. Imagine this colossus running out of control, and you’ll understand you have no business being in its way.

The problem is not limited to the mammoth electric Hummer, as all electric vehicles tend to be heavier. The problem has caught NTSB’s attention, and its chair, Jennifer Homendy, raised the issue in her keynote at the Transportation Research Board’s 2023 Annual Meeting in Washington.

“A GMC Hummer EV weighs over 9,000 pounds, up from about 6,000 pounds. Its gross vehicle weight rating is a staggering 10,550 pounds,” Homendy said. “The battery pack alone weighs over 2,900 pounds — about the weight of a Honda Civic. The Ford F-150 Lightning is between 2,000 and 3,000 pounds heavier than the non-electric version. The Mustang Mach-E, Volvo XC40 EV, and RAV4 EV are all roughly 33% heavier. That has a significant impact on safety for all road users.”

Homendy acknowledges electric vehicles’ role in decreasing carbon emissions, especially as the U.S. transportation sector accounts for the largest portion of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Nevertheless, as NTSB fights “for the 43,000 people who die on our roads annually,” she is more concerned with the immediate consequences of a crash with a heavy electric vehicle than with the pollution. In her opinion, electric vehicles created unintended consequences, with more death on U.S. roads possibly caused by their heavier weight.

While Homendy’s concerns are valid, it is also true that all vehicles in the world tend to get heavier over time. It is an unintended consequence of having more technology packed inside and people wanting more space and, ultimately, more safety. This has led to an increase in vehicle size and the huge popularity of SUVs and trucks. After all, people tend to buy the biggest and heavier vehicle they can afford just to be on the safe side.
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About the author: Cristian Agatie
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After his childhood dream of becoming a "tractor operator" didn't pan out, Cristian turned to journalism, first in print and later moving to online media. His top interests are electric vehicles and new energy solutions.
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