“But tires”
Ban all vehicles over 5000lbs to start without a specialized license and extremely heavy fees to have them. EVs are dropping in weight daily, ICE vehicles have been increasing in weight to dodge policies. One is a means to an end, the other is a means to profit.
Profit for few vs humanity’s existance… which should we choose?
So would you agree no car sold beyond 2030 in the U.S. should weight over 5 thousand pounds or be taxed and registered (another form of tax) at a high rate the pushes users towards lighter emissions?
I would not support weight limits or size limits, simply because per-passenger mileage increases as vehicle occupancy increases. Per-ton mileage increases in cargo vehicles as load increases.
I would not support the idea that only a transit authority can have a bus.
That being said, I do support reducing emissions by transitioning to EV infrastructure, and suppressing fossil fuels in the ground transportation industry.
With passangers it wouldn’t matter for weight. The car would register, and people would ride. That’s all that would matter. We can make an 8 person car under that weight limit with great safety ratings. We just were driving away from those requirements.
How about a 15-passenger van? Can you make a 15-passenger van under 5000lbs?
That van will be around 7200lbs minimum, but will have higher passenger-mile economy than anything under 5000lbs. Why are we banning the more efficient vehicle?
Again, I reject the arbitrary restrictions on vehicle size and weight.
Instead, we push EV infrastructure.
We can mandate manufacturers produce an EV equivalent (with minimum 100 mile range) for every gasoline vehicle they offer. We can mandate the 100-mile EV variant has the same (or lower) price as the lowest-priced ICE equivalent. If they want to jack up the price of EVs, they have to either increase the range, or drop the ICE equivalent.
We can require gas stations to install and maintain one EV charging point for every gasoline or diesel pump on site.
We can restore and expand government rebates for EV purchases, charging point installation, renewable energy generation and storage, etc.
No that van would be classified as commercial or public access. But it should be taxed to no hell of it wasn’t company owned. Companies will have to jump through expensive processes as well. (Otherwise we simply won’t change anything)
Note < this comment was edited to fix spelling and replace a few words. Not trying to change the premise on anyone
If you go that route, I’ll setup shop in a car dealership, helping people file the paperwork needed to register an LLC and justify their car purchase.
Vehicle size and weight is a red herring. It’s a distraction from EV adoption, which is far more important to reducing emissions. Any political capital we might spend on limiting vehicle sizes would achieve greater results on promoting EV adoption. I’d rather see the industry produce a giant EV truck called “The Compensator 9000” than to put arbitrary restrictions on size and weight.
The reason people drive so far to work… Is because of cars. We are compensating for them simply by having them around. The compensator 9000 just means further distances to work, grocery stores, etc. wider roads, more gaps between businesses and continuous outward growth while creating an environment where it makes it more and more impossible to simply walk anywhere…
I want to get a sandwich, shouldn’t be situation that requires we drive 15 miles. Granted yes we reduced the number of times we do it by stashing ingredients in the fridge, but the point still stands.
A lot of people dread having to walk to the mailbox… And dread having to mow the lawn between them and the mailbox. The number of people paying someone else to mow the lawn between there front door and the mailbox is staggering. Yet that is step on of them going on a trip.
I’m gonna drag you, (apparently kicking and screaming), back to the approach I suggested: mandating manufacturers produce same-price 100-mile EV equivalents for every ICE vehicle they want to produce. If they want to build a gasoline sedan, they need to make an electric sedan with the same seating, same trunk space, etc. F-350 super duty diesel crewcab pickup? There’s a 100-mile electric version of that as well, at the same or lower price point, or that truck doesn’t get made.
What’s the 100 miles part of it? Do you mean the range only being 100 miles? We will likely have much higher than that, some are scheduled to be 5-600 miles. Really I’d settle for 250 miles.
The Telos Truck is being designed to be able to fit up to 8 people, a configuration for a 4x8’ sheet of plywood, or a 5ft standard bed with 4 doors, and is set for 350 miles.
It’s the length of a mini Cooper, and acquired taste for looks, but it’s kind of neat. 0-60 in 4 seconds and priced at 50k. < I think to expensive, but that’s cheaper than Chevy trailblazer here.
(Insert my kicking and screaming). Haha