Are Electric Cars Heavier Than Gas Cars

What To Look For In Ev Tires

Gas vs electric cars: which is really better?

Tire manufacturers are good about labeling their EV-compatible tires, along with online tire retailers making it easy to search for the right rubber. Enter your EVs make and model on the website, and it will show you tires suitable for your car.

Unless youre looking to change up the size of your tires or get aftermarket wheels, it should be easy to shop for the OEM tire size of your EV. Beyond that, the load index is one of the most important things to check. The higher that number, the more weight the tire can handle. Its also wise to examine the tires warranty, indicating how long you can expect them to last. Follow the manufacturers guidelines regarding tire rotation and proper inflation.

Why Electric Cars Are So Much Heavier Than Regular Cars

Batteries are heavy. Thats why, generally, electric cars weigh considerably more than otherwise similar gasoline-powered vehicles. Take the GMC Hummer EV, for instance. The Edition 1 version, which has lots of batteries for additional driving range and power, weighs over 9,000 pounds. Thats roughly three times the weight of a Honda Civic.

That has important implications for safety, but its more complicated than the traditional thinking that revolves around issues of mass and speed.

In terms of crash safety, that extra weight actually helps people inside electric vehicles. Insurance claim statistics show that people in electric vehicles are less likely to be injured in a crash than people in otherwise similar gas-powered vehicles.

This could be attributed to the fact that electric vehicles arent carrying a large metal engine under the hood, so they have more empty space that can cushion occupants. But the same injury claims trends hold true for hybrid vehicles, said Insurance Institute for Highway Safety spokesman Joe Young. Hybrids also have added weight from batteries as well as an engine under the hood. So the difference seems largely attributable to sheer mass.

But that extra weight can be bad news for people who get hit by electric vehicles, as the added impact force gets transferred to the other, lighter vehicle.

Car Battery Weight Chart

These are some popular electric cars and their battery sizes.

Model
1,800	6,015

Some figures above are averages over the last couple of years. As the years go by, slight variations lead to varying curb weights.

Also, from the data above, you can easily spot the battery to curb weight ratios. Electric car batteries usually weigh from about 20 to 25% of the total car weight.

The curb weight here shows the cars total weight with all the components needed for mobility. It doesnt consider the weight of any occupants or luggage that would occupy the cabin or cargo.

Recommended Reading: Tesla’s Solar Roof Tiles

How To Tell The Year Of A Vehicle By Looking At The Vin

This is the most common character used in a VIN, the 10th character from the left will tell you what year the vehicle is.

Car VIN# 1HGCG1659WA029633

Look at the 10th digit of the VIN W = 1998

Year of a Vehicle by the VIN
1981 = B

See more automotive insider tips

Figure new car dealer holdback Learn how to calculate a car dealers secret holdback amount on any new vehicle.
Extended auto warranty quotes online Extended auto warranty companies that provide free no-obligation auto warranty quotes.
Low-interest car loan quotes online Where to find free, no-obligation, car loan quotes, and pre-approved auto loans online.

You May Like: Car Wrap Removal

Other Reasons Evs Are Heavier

NO CHARGE TO CHARGE! See how you can get #ALL

While the weight of the batteries is a major reason EVs are heavier than ICE cars, there are other reasons:

Electronics

Electronics are usually not very heavy, but when you have enough of them, the weight can add up. In an EV, there are lots of electronics such as cameras, onboard computers, and sensors, and they can add extra on to the gross weight of the car.

Exterior Body

When the internal components of a car are very heavy, it means the bodywork must be strong enough to support it. An EV battery is very heavy, so the body itself has to be stronger than non-EVs. It requires thicker and stronger materials that can bear the weight. This, in turn, makes the car heavier.

Charging Infrastructure

Even though everyone thinks that an EV charger is a box on the wall, there is actually machinery in the car itself that takes electricity from the wall and sends it in a usable form to the battery. The entire charging infrastructure of an EV can add weight.

Read Also: Tesla Model Y Long Range Hp

Shifting From Conventional To Electric

Electric cars have existed for a long time, but they’re growing rapidly in influence and popularity these days. Many countries around the world, and some states in the U.S., have announced plans to ban sales of new gasoline vehicles within the next decade or so. Electric-vehicle sales in the U.S. have also risen, with an uptick of 60 percent in EV registrations in the U.S. in the first quarter of 2022. They still only make up 4.6 percent of the overall new-car market, but that number will likely continue to climb in the coming years.

If you’re considering joining this trend and purchasing an electric vehicle, you should understand how EVs differ from the internal-combustion vehicles we’re used to, both in terms of cost and the ownership experience.

Evs Get Instant Torque And Thats A Double

One advantage of EVs is that even weak and cheap EVs tend to get respectable or even great acceleration times. This is thanks to the fact that, as Clean Fleet Report wrote, electric motors tend to generate more torque, and that torque tends to be delivered instantly. As a result, the cheap Chevy Bolt can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 6.5 seconds.

The problem with this, however, is that when a driver puts their foot down, the motors immediately put a lot of heavy pressure on the EVs tires. That large amount of pressure creates a lot of friction, which in turn creates a lot of wear and tear. That being said, these issues shouldnt turn drivers off from owning an EV, as they are solvable problems.

Also Check: Tesla Model 3 Fog Lights

Why Do Ev Batteries Weigh So Much

EV batteries are large and heavy because they need to store a lot of energy. The weight of the battery is a trade-off for the amount of energy it can hold.

A lighter battery would not be able to hold as much energy, and a heavier battery would be too difficult to move.

The weight of the battery is also affected by the type of materials used to make it. For example, lead-acid batteries are very heavy because they use lead plates.

Lithium-ion batteries are lighter because they use lithium instead of lead. EV batteries are constantly being improved in order to increase their energy density and reduce their weight.

Are Electric Cars Heavier Than Normal Cars

Are Electric Cars Worse For The Environment? Myth Busted

Ben WallaceComments

Batteries are heavy. That’s why, generally, electric cars weigh considerably more than otherwise similar gasoline-powered vehicles. Take the GMC Hummer EV, for instance. The Edition 1 version, which has lots of batteries for additional driving range and power, weighs over 9,000 pounds.

Are Teslas heavier than normal cars?Are Tesla’S Heavier Than Regular Cars? As a summary, Tesla cars weigh less than their Toyota counterparts. is approximately 473 pounds in weight. The weight average of the X Model is 5,421 lbs, based on its weight-for-weight calculation. With a Model X tipping the scale at about 3,552 pounds, you’re on the right track.

How much heavier are electric vehicles?

Switching to electric adds at least a couple of hundred extra kilos per vehicle. In 2020, the average mass of new EVs sold in Europe was nearly 1,700 kg , or around 16% heavier than the average of all vehicles sold, according to the International Council on Clean Transportation.

Are electric cars lightweight?

Why Electric Cars Need To Be Lighter: Furthermore, using lightweight materials can cut the weight of a car chassis in half. Currently, the powertrain of a full-battery EV with a 35.8kWh battery pack and 100kW electric motor is nearly 125% heavier than a standard internal combustion engine vehicle powertrain.

Are electric cars heavier than normal cars?

You May Like: How Much Is Tesla Cost

How Much Does A Tesla Weigh

The Tesla brand has several models of electric cars. While the overall weight of each Tesla model depends on other factors apart from the battery, the battery size is a major percentage of the weight.

Tesla Model S

Tesla Model S comes in many trims and battery sizes so the weight varies. For the most part, it weighs between 4,323-4,960 pounds, with the battery making up 1,200 pounds of that. This model is a bigger luxury sedan that, aside from the battery, has a much sturdier feel. Its strong steel frame adds pounds quickly. The Model S also has a glass roof, which can add weight.

Tesla Model 3

Tesla Model 3 happens to be the lightest of all the Tesla EV models. It weighs between 3,553-4,070 lbs depending on the battery size. It is also a sedan, and is more compact-sized. The cargo space and the interior seating are both narrower.

Tesla Model Y

Like its Model 3 sibling, Tesla Model Y sits on the same frame, although it weighs between 3,920-4,416 lbs. This additional weight comes from more features and the roomier compact SUV body style.

Tesla Model X

Tesla Model X is the heaviest in the Tesla fleet and weighs between 5,072-5,531 lbs. Since itâs bigger than a Model Y, it features a larger battery. It also uses the Model S frame, so itâs no surprise that this vehicle packs the pounds.

Tesla Cybertruck

Are Electric Cars Heavier Than Petrol Ones

You might have read that electric cars can tip the scales at noticeably higher weights than their petrol or diesel equivalents. And its true the main requirement to accelerate a car swiftly from standstill to motorway speeds is having plenty of power and when it comes to an all-electric vehicle that power has to be stored in a big bank of battery cells. So many cells, in fact, that together they can add as much as 30% to the overall weight of the car compared to a combustion-engined equivalent.

Don’t Miss: How Much Electricity Does Tesla Use

How Much Do Electric Car Batteries Weigh

To be clear, we are discussing the large batteries that supply power to electric car motors . While electric cars still use traditional 12-volt car batteries like this, that’s not what is actually used to power the electric motor.

This article, published in 2015, states that most EVBs weigh around 500 lbs , although new technologies promise to reduce that figure. Another resource tells us that the Nissan Leaf’s small 24 kWh battery pack weighs a whopping 648 lbs. As you would imagine, the large batteries used by Tesla weigh considerably more. For example, the 85 kWh battery pack weighs in at 1,200 lbs.

Will Electric Vehicles Be Lighter In The Future

Bosch is currently working towards creating a 50kWh battery that weighs only 414 pounds, and they predict that by 2025, all cars sold will have an electric powertrain.

Furthermore, they promise their battery will reach 75% charge in only 15 minutes.

Consequently, they are reducing the weight by improving lithium-ion technology and in the anode, rather than using graphite, to increase storage capacity.

Also Check: California Incentives For Electric Cars

Metal Encasing Around The Battery

If a battery is pierced or significantly damaged, it could explode. There must be a sturdy casing around the battery to prevent this catastrophe.

This shell comprises a heavy-duty metal that protects the form of armor. When you hear the words heavy-duty and metal in the same phrase, you already know that there is an additional layer of weight on top of the item.

Why Do Evs Need Special Tires

Electric vehicles are heavier than their gas-powered counterparts. An extreme example is the mighty GMC Hummer EV Pickup, which tips the scales at 9,063 pounds. Thats about double the weight of a traditional, gas-powered, full-size pickup truck. EVs require special tires that can support the extra weight.

Recommended Reading: Federal Credit For Electric Cars

What Does A Car Title Look Like

Your car title is a certificate that proves your ownership of the vehicle you drive. Its issued and processed by the Department of Motor Vehicles. If youre financing a car, you wont have the title until you complete payments and there are no liens left on your vehicle, according to Cars.com.

Also called a pink slip, the title holds the name and information about the legal owner, and youll need this document if you ever want to sell your car. Likewise, if you wish to buy or trade vehicles, the titles for all vehicles in the transaction will be required. Lets learn what a car title looks like, the information it holds, its role, and why you need to understand the different kinds of title available.

Things That Change In Evs

VERIFY: No, electric cars are not worse for the environment than gas-powered cars

At this point, its pretty clear that EVs weigh more. This change in weight is due to the change under the hood between an ICE and EV.

A lot of things change when you compare an ICE to an EV. In my guide to converting your gas-powered car to an EV, I detailed all of the big changes.

The simple fact is that these two types of cars are hardly comparable when you strip them down and look at the components.

Don’t Miss: Chinese Electric Car In Usa

Is An Electric Car Heavier Than A Gas Car

Electric cars are typically heavier than traditional cars, and heavier vehicles are usually accompanied by higher levels of emissions that are not exhausting. This is why, in general, electric cars are significantly heavier than otherwise comparable gas-powered vehicles. The pure mass may spell trouble for those struck by an electric car since added force from impact is transferred to other, lighter, gas-powered vehicles.

In terms of crash safety, this added weight from batteries actually helps the people inside electric vehicles. The transition from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles is set to make stacking even worse, at least in the near term because the lithium-ion battery packs used to power electric vehicles are large and heavy. Vehicles need to be stronger to haul those batteries around, and therefore those heavier batteries are heavier. Batteries must also be larger in order to provide electric cars with reasonable range, which is why the vehicles that pack more horsepower and range, such as some Teslas, may carry battery banks that weigh up to 1,200 pounds.

A Green Cycle For Ev Batteries

Aside from energy storage in your home or workplace, on a larger scale former EV batteries can be used to power manufacturing plants and streets. In a virtuous energy cycle, eventually the factories that produce the batteries could be powered using the repurposed batteries.

Electric vehicle manufacturers are making big investments to give car batteries a new lease of life in large-scale battery storage systems.

Nissan is using retired EV batteries to provide back-up power to the Amsterdam Arena the entertainment centre and home to Ajax Football Club.

Toyota will be installing ex-EV batteries outside convenience stores in Japan. The batteries will be used to store power generated from solar panels. The energy stored will then be used to support the power of drink fridges, food warmers and fresh food counters inside stores.

Renault has also announced that the EV batteries from the Renault Zoe EV will be repurposed to generate power to the Powervault a home energy battery storage system. And Nissan has launched XStorage, using Nissan Leaf car batteries as storage systems for homes and businesses.

Recommended Reading: 2020 Tesla Model S Price

Electric Vs Gas Cars: Which One Is Better For You

Nick Versaw

Electric cars are finally having their moment. Not only are more drivers choosing electric and hybrid vehicles for their next purchase, but several automakers are planning to phase gasoline cars entirely out of their production lines over the next few decades.

Even with all the hype, you might still be wondering whether now is the right time to buy an EV. Should you switch from a gas-powered vehicle or wait until prices go down and more charging stations are available?

Weve weighed the pros and cons of electric vs. gas cars to help you compare them in three different areas: environmental impact, ownership costs, and range.

Compare EVs Near You

Interesting Fact About Heavier Evs

Theres an interesting phenomenon in the world of EVs, and it might be why manufacturers are reluctant to make skinnier cars.

A heavier car will regenerate more electricity going downhill or while braking.

Regenerative brakes add mileage to your car without the need to charge it. When youre coasting down a hill, your car uses the extra kinetic energy and transforms it into usable power for your battery.

Conceptually, you can just roll your car down a long enough hill and generate a full charge for your battery without having to physically charge your car.

Also Check: Hyundai Ioniq 5 Electric Car

Third Through Eighth Characters Of A Vehicle Id Number

The third through eighth numbers of a VIN is used by the manufacturer and might signify a variety of things.