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June 22, 2023 by Adam Malik
Image credit: Depositphotos.com
Experts are warning that older parking garages may not be able to handle the added weight of electric vehicles.
As they grow in popularity — and as mandates ensure a higher EV population — concerns are being raised over whether current infrastructure can handle the weight.
A report out of the UK noted that aging parking garages should have the minimum weight they can hold raised, along with improved maintenance as neglect of the structures has experts concerned about their ability to hold the weight.
An electric vehicle can weigh much more than its internal combustion engine counterpart — the Ford F-150 Lightning can weigh 2,000-3,000 pounds more than the ICE version.
Structural engineer Chris Whapples, who helped author the report, observed that the situation could be disastrous in some cases.
“I don’t want to be too alarmist, but there definitely is the potential for some of the early car parks in poor condition to collapse,” he said, according to the British newspaper The Telegraph. “Operators need to be aware of electric vehicle weights, and get their car parks assessed from a strength point of view, and decide if they need to limit weight.”
How EVs and old parking garages may not mix
Image credit: Depositphotos.com
Experts are warning that older parking garages may not be able to handle the added weight of electric vehicles.
As they grow in popularity — and as mandates ensure a higher EV population — concerns are being raised over whether current infrastructure can handle the weight.
A report out of the UK noted that aging parking garages should have the minimum weight they can hold raised, along with improved maintenance as neglect of the structures has experts concerned about their ability to hold the weight.
An electric vehicle can weigh much more than its internal combustion engine counterpart — the Ford F-150 Lightning can weigh 2,000-3,000 pounds more than the ICE version.
Structural engineer Chris Whapples, who helped author the report, observed that the situation could be disastrous in some cases.
“I don’t want to be too alarmist, but there definitely is the potential for some of the early car parks in poor condition to collapse,” he said, according to the British newspaper The Telegraph. “Operators need to be aware of electric vehicle weights, and get their car parks assessed from a strength point of view, and decide if they need to limit weight.”
