Automologist MAC noticed that EVs are getting bigger and bigger…
I have just spent a month cruising the roads of Europe and one thing that became apparent to me was that it appears that the world’s green revolution is suffering a bit of an obesity crisis.
Over in Americaland, it is the same. Many of the manufacturers are eschewing lean lightweight compact cars for behemoths festooned with all sort of fancy but heavy extras, like automatic sunroofs and cowboy hat holders—very cool, but very heavy.
Whilst sustainability may be the new by-word for manufacturers, it would seem that the public is still demanding the bigger SUV-style of conveyance as is currently the trend for ICE-powered vehicles. Basically, the public is demanding supercars with 1,000km range or SUVs that wouldn’t look out of place at a Monster Truck carnival.
Public demand is obviously the key driving force for this, and it is not just fashion. Early adopters of EVs have been more likely to be higher-income earners who will probably have a second car. When they use their EV, having a bigger battery means greater range and thus less anxiety. BNEF, a consultancy company, reports that the average battery size has increased by about 10% per year globally since 2018.
It would seem that as with ICE vehicles, bigger cars generate bigger profits and so the manufacturers are all for the upsizing of our rides, even if this means that they are becoming less green and less sustainable, as with one of the more recent offerings: the GM’s Hummer EV weighs in at 4,000kg; the battery alone weighs in at about the same weight as a mid-sized saloon car. The simple fact is that more than half of all the EVs sold last year were SUVs and that could derail the EV movement.
To put it simply, the trend for bigger batteries will in the long run put undue pressure on the supply chain. Already the looming scarcities of nickel and cobalt are a cause for concern. “Bigger” means this will become a problem sooner. Along with lithium, the cost of all of these relatively scarce minerals will increase, thus increasing the price for everyone.
Bigger batteries mean longer charging times at scarce charging stations, which will create a bottleneck out on the road for us all. And, of course, we will need to generate more low carbon electricity. There is also the safety issue with 4-tonne monsters capable of going from nothing to 100 km/h in just a few seconds…..need I say more?
Governments need to do more to encourage the adoption of more sustainable behaviours from this new sustainable industry, but when you look at the cost of most of the new EV cars, they are significantly higher than an equally equipped ICE vehicle. No amount of government subsidies has so far closed this gap and thus, most EVs are still in the rich man’s playground. So, for now, governments around the world are really subsidising those who can afford to pay and not those who need to adopt this new technology.
