This EV stuff is BS. I went to look at electric lawn mowers and about fell over...$700 and UP for something that might run 50 minutes. What a crock.
This is crazy. Add weight to a vehicle simply to use a more ineffecient fuel.
once they go full green energy
electricity will be scarce and expensive
discussions about the viability of evs
are moot
most will be on public transportation
On a good day, perhaps.
I’m an Engineer. One thing no one ever mentions is the effect these heavier electric vehicles will have on our existing infrastructure. Parking garages, bridges, culverts and even roadways are designed for regular gas powered vehicles. Electric vehicles are heavier than gas powered vehicles. As the article states in some cases twice as heavy. At some point the extra loads on our infrastructure will cause more stress, strain and fatigue leading to a more rapid failure of our structures. Think about it. The top floor of a parking garage is designed for a certain dead load relating to gas powered vehicles. You fill that parking floor with heavier EV’s, it is going to fail at some point. Same with bridges. You get a traffic jam and all that extra weight of EV’s sitting on a bridge, you are looking at a possible catastrophe. Yes, I know concrete and steel design has factors of safety in their calculations but are the safety factors high enough to account for the extra forces from the loads from technology that was not known 30-49 years ago?
I have family members who are long term EV owners. They are big fans but it begins with their concept of a vehicle that says they don’t pollute. That is another matter. On tires, the tires they use are expensive and not readily available in every little town or tire store.
Number two, because of the weight and low center of gravity these vehicles are stable but that stability eats tires. These Tesla vehicles get 12,500 to 25,000 from a set of tires max based upon what they tell me. Part of this is fast handling low aspect tires. But I would always get the expensive Pirelli or the like with the mileage warranty and keep them properly inflated and balanced because you will need to use the warranty replacement or pay about $1,000 a set plus tax and mounting.
Another factor not mentioned is that manufacturers are required to install tires that have speed ratings that are compatible with the top speed potential of the vehicle, even if you never drive that fast. The Tesla Plaid comes with tires rated for 186+ MPH. You can expect to pay $500 or more per tire.
My wife and I bought our EV crossover 10 months ago and have put 22K miles onto it. And I haven't had to replace the tires yet. I'm surprised, to be honest. I anticipated more frequent tire replacements. It weighs 4,200-4,400 lbs. The ICE crossover it replaced weighed 3,900 lbs.
Maybe the EV's stock tires are more durable. Or maybe the extra 300-500 lbs isn't that big an issue. Or maybe the EV's battery makes the tires not wear as much by spreading the curb weight more evenly. Or maybe doing most deceleration with regen braking is somehow better for the tires. I dunno. I just know that at 22K miles I haven't had to replace the tires yet.
I regularly change my cars oil every few thousand miles . I even change the oil in my lawn mower.
Another issue is used EVs. How often must the battery be replaced since over time, its ability to hold a charge is degraded?
>>EVs require special tires that can support the extra weight.<<
They will have to be inflated to a higher pressure than those on nasty fossil fuel cars. If they explode while you work on them, your ass is grass. The discarded tires from gas vehicles will be piled in mountains of rubber that will be ignited by lightning and burn with a black smoke that will pollute the air and causes more climate change.
The gas tank in the car weighs 125 lbs when its full, 15 lbs when its empty, an average weighty of 70 lbs.
A BEV’s fuel tanks weighs half a ton when it’s full, and half a ton when it’s empty, an average weight of ... half a ton.
God forbid if you have to replace the battery.
You might not need oil changes on your $75,000 EV, but I could see you spending $1200+ to replace the tires. The value of an EV as a used car I would also think would not be much with a five figure cost of replacing the battery looming.
When is Joe converting “The Beast” to electric?
Funny, I was just talking to a manufacturers rep from a well known tire company here in the USA, and he said the Tires are the same as every other tire, it is just a marketing ploy.
Which is why the really progressive countries are trying to do away with EVs
The EV I’m working on has a 23” wheel. We only have 1 supplier that can manufacture them. SMH at the Start Ups sometimes.
Good luck with your EV.👍
The article did not mention that an electric motor can generate 100% torque at zero RPM. That loads up the tire quickly if the driver does not go light on the go fast pedal.