The dark side of range anxiety: Currently available EVs stateside are far heavier than they need to be for a 10-mile commute, causing more generation of particulates from tires than ICE vehicles.

  •  Seathru   ( @Seathru@beehaw.org ) 
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    221 year ago

    Why aren’t we taxing vehicles by weight? Regardless of what powers it. Wouldn’t that incentivize smaller, lighter, and more efficient vehicles? Instead of the “I’m the biggest on the road” arms race we have now.

    • It would make the roads safer as well. You’re more likely to be badly injured or die in a crash with a giant SUV or truck than with a compact car.

      The US should be using Japanese style kei cars for commuting, not Explorers and F250s.

    • They do in Australia. My 1.7 tonne station wagon costs a good deal more to insure than my wife’s Kia Rio.

      On the other hand, the fact we have to register each vehicle when we can only physically drive one at a time strongly discourages people owning two cars, so they end up with the bigger one in many cases even though most of the time a smaller car would be fine.