this post was submitted on 10 Sep 2023
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I now wonder what impact cycling has. Obviously, the tires are much smaller and supporting far less weight, but I’m sure I’m still spewing rubber when I brake.
How often do you change tires on your bike vs your car? 200lbs vs 2000lbs to stop is a pretty significant amount.
And the relationship between weight and tire/road wear is non-linear. I.e. 2000 lbs is not 10x worse, but worse to the fourth power!
This is why electric cars are not just a straightforward win. They are so much heavier that they will cause significantly more tire pollution and road damage, not to mention pedestrian deaths.
I really wish there was a small electric car, I'm thinking two seats, that had modern features and could fit taller people like me. Closest I've seen is something like the i3, but it's supposed to be cramped inside. Also it didn't do well at all at least in the North American market unfortunately, making it seemingly unlikely that they will really try again.
One reason they don’t do well is because we subsidize larger cars and penalize smaller ones. It’s not a free market. Regulatory capture by industry explains so many of our problems. If anything, smaller cars (and micro mobility) should receive subsidies, because they cost taxpayers less public money.
The light truck loophole needs to be closed urgently
Aptera has a car coming out eventually. I've seen the claim that its suppose to be be enough for tall people. Aptera is long for its size, but still significantly lighter than something like a Corolla even if you get the 1000 mile range.
I drive the electric Mini, and it’s pretty much just that. It’s just the guts of an i3 stuffed into a Mini Cooper. I got tired of driving around a big honking piece of metal when 75% of my miles are just me, and the rest are just me and my wife and dog. I think it’s one of the top selling Mini models in the US now.