The Trolly Stop Tampa Bay

It looks like one of the biggest industry concerns regarding EVs, its weight, is finally illustrated by personal economics and buyer’s remorse.

“If somebody looked at me and said, Mr. Semel, you are going to love this car but in about 7,000 miles you will have to pay 1,400 or 1,500 dollars to replace the tires, I wouldn’t have bought the car,” Semel said.

Florida is a top market for EVs, so naturally the Miami Herald sought out statistics from a local EV mechanic shop in Miami, “Tire mileage can vary widely of course, but he said he frequently changes EV tires at just 8,000 to 10,000 miles — a fourth or even fifth of typical tire wear on a gas-burning car.”

Then there is this, from experts from Michelin and Goodyear.

“The tire manufacturer Michelin said conventional tires on electric vehicles consume tires 20 percent faster than on a gas-powered car — a figure commonly cited by EV makers as well — but Goodyear also has said they could wear up to 50 percent faster. Automakers and the tire industry are working on improvements.”

So why are EVs heavy and why this massive tire wear? Due “to the large battery system” EVs weigh more. Also, “Electrical motors can produce peak power, or torque, almost instantly, unlike mashing the gas pedal of a regular car, which requires gas to flow and burn in cylinders and a bunch of mechanical parts to start moving.” This means tires are already spinning at the required speed, rather than at a slower gradual pace compared to petrol-fueled vehicles.

Tire disposal is not the only environmental issue as “studies have shown that tires actually have more particle pollution than exhaust, 2,000 times as much.”

TSTB thoughts? Many advocates against road widening have been claiming EVs aren’t a game changer. It is ‘greenwashing’ wider road projects. This is key because both EVs and petrol-fueled cars pollute, crash, and are heavy. We share the same sentiment. But we are also concerned that EVs damage roads faster. Who is responsible for this accelerated damage?

Then there are car crashes. A heavier moving mass leads to a more substantial collision. Unfortunately, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been mum on this obvious physic-based reality.

Lastly, transportation agencies are not mandated to look at other forms of pollution on road widening projects. We can’t imagine inhaling more brake or tire particulates is a good thing. But if the Federal DOT doesn’t care to penalize local DOTs for not tracking these particulates, it is unlikely that State and local transportation agencies will be compelled to track them too.

While Neil Semel is concerned about tire costs, imagine his community’s local taxes being elevated due to excess road tear, or more importantly, imagine the cost to his health and others.

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/climate-change/article284533695.html