The National Transportation Safety Board is concerned that electric vehicles need additional size to accommodate their massive battery packs. NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy expressed concern in a keynote address that the size and weight of current EVs might raise the danger of catastrophic injury and death. According to the board head, a Hummer EV weighs more than 9,000 pounds, while electric versions of cars such as the Ford F-150 and Volvo XC40 are much heavier than their petrol engine counterparts.
Homendy emphasised her support for the Biden administration’s environmental aims, citing transportation as the single greatest contributor to American greenhouse gas emissions. She just thought that manufacturers needed to be cautious about causing “unintended consequences,” such as more traffic deaths.
There is some evidence that the extra weight of EVs may be dangerous. Green Car Congress cited a 2021 essay in Nature in which experts determined that the additional 700kg (1,543lbs) of the F-150 Lightning above the gas variant ‘rivals’ its zero-emissions advantages. According to the study team, the risks of passengers dying in an accident rise by 12% for every 500kg (1,102lbs) difference in weight. While these difficulties may reduce as more EVs enter the market, they may remain an issue as long as combustion engine and electric vehicles must share the road.
Technical solutions might be beneficial. Scientists are already working on lighter batteries, and the first EVs with denser solid-state batteries (which can achieve comparable range with smaller packs) will be available in a few years. While EVs equipped with this technology are still expected to be heavier than their fossil-fuel-burning competitors, the weight reduction may enhance safety as well as range.
