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The curb weight of most EVs in North America can be surprising when people look up their specs compared to past and present ICE or Hybrid vehicles. That weight

The curb weight of most EVs in North America can be surprising when people look up their specs compared to past and present ICE or Hybrid vehicles. That weight has a lot of side-effects, or externalities, including higher relative tire wear, suspension wear, momentum in collisions, etc. The difference is mostly from the battery. North American EVs tend to have larger batteries than their international market peers too because of product range targets and marketability; unfortunately, vehicles in the Nissan Leaf / BMW i3 / Volkswagen eGolf or ID3 size are a very small portion of North American EVs. * The typical Tesla Model 3 weighs around 4,000 lbs (~1,800kg). Models Y, S, X (4,400 lbs, 4,700lbs, 5,200lbs / 2,000 kg, 2,100 kg, 2,400 kg) respectively. * A 2024 Toyota Prius weighs around 3,100 lbs (~1,400kg). A 2010-era Toyota Prius weighs around 3,000 lbs (~1,400kg). * A Tesla Cybertruck (Dual-motor, lightest config) weighs around 6,600 lbs (3,000kg). * A General Motors Hummer H2 (2002-2009) from the early 2000s-era weighs around 6,400 lbs (3,000kg) * The Nissan Leaf / BMW i3 / VW ID3 size EVs, with their largest battery options (30-40kWh) tend to weigh around 3,000-3,500 lbs (1,300-1,600 kg) * The typical North American EV weighs as much, if not more than, midsize and full-size pickup trucks from 20 years ago. The Hummer H2 weight is quoted above, not because it was a typical pickup/SUV, but because it was often considered to be a gaudy example of wastefulness during its time.

thebruce87m 2y ago
> The curb weight of most EVs in North America can be surprising when people look up their specs compared to past and present ICE or Hybrid vehicles. Your argument would hold more weight* if it also quoted numbers from popular ICE vehicles. There is some discussion here: https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-perception-of-Tesla-cars-being-heavy-compared-to-other-cars-Is-there-a-significant-difference-in-weight-between-Tesla-models-and-other-cars https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-perception-of-Tesla-cars-b... > Starting with the Tesla Model 3 weighing in at between 1777Kg and 1840Kg > A comparable ICE car the BMW 3 series 1570Kg - 1965Kg > And another ICE car the Mercedes C class 1665Kg - 2190Kg > And finally another EV the Ford Mustang Mach-E 1993Kg - 2218Kg
- moandcompany 2y ago
  How a person defines "popular" and "comparable" will be significant here. The examples given above aren't about Teslas, but Teslas are named as examples because for many they are often considered defacto synonymous with "EVs" in North America. Vehicles a person might cross-shop could be considered "comparable" for some, yet not everyone will agree that those vehicles are actually "comparable" (e.g. Tesla Model 3 versus BMW 3-series or similar cars in the BMW 3-series' segment. Should "comparable" be by specification? Cabin comfort? By product segment? By functional purpose? 0-60 acceleration times? By curb weight? For alternative definitions of "popular" let's select some of the best-selling (i.e. units sold annually) automotive vehicles in North America. Best-selling 'overall' rather than by "product segment": * 2024 Toyota RAV4 (3,800lbs / 1,700kg). The spans multiple configurations and trims, from ICE AWD to Hybrid AWD. * 2024 Honda CRV (3,400-3900lbs / 1550-1,800 kg). This spans multiple configurations and trims, from ICE 2WD/AWD to Hybrid. * 2024 Ford F150 XLT (5,000lbs / 2,300kg). There are many-many variants of F150 spanning powertrains, cab+bed configurations, trims. The curb weight example listed is for a SuperCrew Cab, 4x4, V6-Ecoboost Engine 6.5-ft bed configuration. Here's a few more non-Tesla EVs: * Hyundai Ionic 5 (4,200-4,600lbs / 1,900-2,100kg) * Volkswagen ID.4 (4,300-4,900lbs / 2,000-2,200kg) * Chevy Bolt EV/EUV (~3,600lbs / ~1650kg). The Bolt turns out to be an outlier amongst most of the North American EVs, and really better matches the Leaf/i3/ID.3 group of EVs. * Fiat 500e (2024) (~2950lbs / ~1,350kg). Another outlier, classified as a "minicompact" car. Generally, the most-common EVs being sold in North America outweigh the most-common ICE or Hybrid EVs being sold in North America. In terms of weight, the most-common EVs, regardless of bodystyle are more comparable to the light to medium duty pickup trucks and SUVs of the last few decades. * This is interesting too because US States like California and Washington have road wear and maintenance funding issues because their revenue collection system was generally designed through gasoline consumption sales taxes which do not apply to EVs. Additionally, in California regular pickup trucks are classified and taxed, via vehicle registration and weight penalty fees, as commercial vehicles rather than personal vehicles (For individuals, this results in registration fees that are 2x+ the non-commercial rate).
  - adamomada 2y ago
    I recall reading on HN that road wear (and therefore tire wear) is a fourth power of the weight on the axle. So a little bit more is a lot more. Edit: I’m too late, already noted by Sparkle-san below

thebruce87m 2y ago

> The curb weight of most EVs in North America can be surprising when people look up their specs compared to past and present ICE or Hybrid vehicles. Your argument would hold more weight* if it also quoted numbers from popular ICE vehicles. There is some discussion here: https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-perception-of-Tesla-cars-being-heavy-compared-to-other-cars-Is-there-a-significant-difference-in-weight-between-Tesla-models-and-other-cars https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-perception-of-Tesla-cars-b... > Starting with the Tesla Model 3 weighing in at between 1777Kg and 1840Kg > A comparable ICE car the BMW 3 series 1570Kg - 1965Kg > And another ICE car the Mercedes C class 1665Kg - 2190Kg > And finally another EV the Ford Mustang Mach-E 1993Kg - 2218Kg

moandcompany 2y ago
How a person defines "popular" and "comparable" will be significant here. The examples given above aren't about Teslas, but Teslas are named as examples because for many they are often considered defacto synonymous with "EVs" in North America. Vehicles a person might cross-shop could be considered "comparable" for some, yet not everyone will agree that those vehicles are actually "comparable" (e.g. Tesla Model 3 versus BMW 3-series or similar cars in the BMW 3-series' segment. Should "comparable" be by specification? Cabin comfort? By product segment? By functional purpose? 0-60 acceleration times? By curb weight? For alternative definitions of "popular" let's select some of the best-selling (i.e. units sold annually) automotive vehicles in North America. Best-selling 'overall' rather than by "product segment": * 2024 Toyota RAV4 (3,800lbs / 1,700kg). The spans multiple configurations and trims, from ICE AWD to Hybrid AWD. * 2024 Honda CRV (3,400-3900lbs / 1550-1,800 kg). This spans multiple configurations and trims, from ICE 2WD/AWD to Hybrid. * 2024 Ford F150 XLT (5,000lbs / 2,300kg). There are many-many variants of F150 spanning powertrains, cab+bed configurations, trims. The curb weight example listed is for a SuperCrew Cab, 4x4, V6-Ecoboost Engine 6.5-ft bed configuration. Here's a few more non-Tesla EVs: * Hyundai Ionic 5 (4,200-4,600lbs / 1,900-2,100kg) * Volkswagen ID.4 (4,300-4,900lbs / 2,000-2,200kg) * Chevy Bolt EV/EUV (~3,600lbs / ~1650kg). The Bolt turns out to be an outlier amongst most of the North American EVs, and really better matches the Leaf/i3/ID.3 group of EVs. * Fiat 500e (2024) (~2950lbs / ~1,350kg). Another outlier, classified as a "minicompact" car. Generally, the most-common EVs being sold in North America outweigh the most-common ICE or Hybrid EVs being sold in North America. In terms of weight, the most-common EVs, regardless of bodystyle are more comparable to the light to medium duty pickup trucks and SUVs of the last few decades. * This is interesting too because US States like California and Washington have road wear and maintenance funding issues because their revenue collection system was generally designed through gasoline consumption sales taxes which do not apply to EVs. Additionally, in California regular pickup trucks are classified and taxed, via vehicle registration and weight penalty fees, as commercial vehicles rather than personal vehicles (For individuals, this results in registration fees that are 2x+ the non-commercial rate).
- adamomada 2y ago
  I recall reading on HN that road wear (and therefore tire wear) is a fourth power of the weight on the axle. So a little bit more is a lot more. Edit: I’m too late, already noted by Sparkle-san below