The development of electric cars will increase the average weight of cars
- The average weight of light vehicles (LCVs) produced in Europe has risen from 1340kg in 2005 to 1405kg in 2019, and it is likely to increase significantly over the next decade. This increase was almost constant between 2000 and 2008, then in 2009 the financial and economic crisis caused an increase in the number of small cars produced in Europe, favored then by the introduction of scrappage bonuses, which was translated by a decrease in the average weight of vehicles.
- The following years saw the average weight of vehicles increase again, due to the proliferation of SUVs whose weight is higher than that of sedans. The introduction of SUVs to the C and B segments helped to stabilize the average weight of vehicles in the years 2013-2018, but the arrival of plug-in hybrid cars and 100% electric cars again increased the average weight of vehicles. A 100% electric car is on average 300 kilograms heavier than an equivalent heat engine because of the weight of the batteries.
- Even though rechargeable and 100% electric hybrid cars represent only a small part of European production (2.5% in 2019), the difference in weight compared to a thermal engine model is such that the increase in weight The average is very real, while Inovev is forecasting a stabilization of SUV production over the next five years.
- The massive arrival of electric cars in the 2020s will greatly increase the average weight of vehicles produced in Europe (Inovev foresees an average weight of 1455kg in 2024 which will continue to grow in the following years).
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