3 ms·

Weight is not waste. Where is the wastefulness? How does driving a 2000kg car harm anyone?

• nayuki 4y ago
  More mass means more kinetic energy when moving. In the vast majority of cars, all the kinetic energy is wasted as heat when braking. More mass means more rolling friction on the tires. More energy wasted means more gasoline burned, more resources used, more pollution generated. Here's another way to frame it: If weight is not waste, would you volunteer to manually pedal a 2000-kg quadricycle to drive yourself to work? Do you not appreciate the vast increase in energy to move a heavier vehicle? Finally, look at the GMC Hummer EV versus their e-bike: https://www.gmc.com/electric/hummer-ev/insider/awd-ebike https://www.gmc.com/electric/hummer-ev/insider/awd-ebike . The car weighs 4100 kg and has a 213 kWh battery. The bike weighs 43 kg and has a 48 V × 17.5 Ah = 0.84 kWh battery. In this case, one car battery has as much capacity as 250 bike batteries. Every electric car manufactured takes away natural resources that could transport many more people on lighter vehicles.
  • twblalock 4y ago
    Obviously heavier things require more energy to move. But why is that a bad thing when we have the energy and are capable of using it without emissions? Again, who is harmed?
    • throw0101a 4y ago
      Because heavier vehicles cause more damage to roads, bridges, etc: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_power_law https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_power_law And repairing/maintaining those things more often does require natural resources and creates emissions (and waste). It also takes money, which could be used towards other things like education, healthcare, or simply lower taxes if we didn't have to fix things as much.
• lamontcg 4y ago
  > How does driving a 2000kg car harm anyone? /me waves in the general direction of 40,000 traffic and pedestrian fatalities a year...