UK road experts debate impact of heavy EVs and SUVs

Experts in the United Kingdom are debating whether the rising weight of electric vehicles (EVs) and SUVs is accelerating the degradation of road infrastructure. Over the last nine years, the average weight of new cars has increased by nearly 400 kg, rising from 1,553 kg to nearly two tons.

Elizabeth Orchard, an engineer and director at the infrastructure consultancy Endelevu, noted that roads are designed to withstand a specific number of heavy vehicles over their lifespan. As vehicles become heavier, the stress on the road surface increases exponentially, potentially shortening the lifespan of the asphalt before cracks appear. In response, some officials in London and Cardiff have proposed increased parking fees for heavier vehicles to discourage their use and compensate for road wear.

However, other experts point to different primary causes. Ali Rahman, a civil engineering lecturer at the University of Leeds, highlighted the ‘fourth power law,’ which states that road damage increases exponentially with axle load. Under this principle, doubling the load on an axle increases damage by approximately 16 times. This suggests that heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) cause significantly more wear than passenger cars, regardless of whether those cars weigh 1,500 kg or 2,200 kg. Additionally, weather patterns, such as freeze-thaw cycles, play a major role in allowing water to infiltrate cracks and break apart bitumen.