Summary of Key Points
Recently, the trend of cars becoming heavier has become a hot topic, driven by three main factors: the popularity of SUVs, the increasing weight of electric vehicle batteries, and the addition of advanced comfort features. This increase in weight has led to several public issues, such as a "security hegemony" (where larger vehicles are safer for themselves but pose a risk to others), increased road wear and tear, and higher carbon emissions. More importantly, new energy vehicles and SUVs do not bear the corresponding costs (such as road maintenance fees), leading to debates about fairness. Governments around the world have begun to address this issue; for example, France has imposed penalties on heavier vehicles, while China has introduced mandatory standards for fuel consumption. In the future, it will be necessary to combine technological innovation with fair mechanisms to ensure that heavier vehicles bear the costs they incur, rather than burdening the entire society.
The Three Main Drivers of Heavier Cars
There are three main reasons why cars are getting heavier:
1. The Rise of SUVs: In 2015, SUVs accounted for only 29.5% of sales; by 2025, this figure is expected to rise to nearly 50%. SUVs are generally taller, larger, and wider than sedans, resulting in a weight increase of 200-300 kilograms.
2. Electrification: Electric vehicle batteries are a significant source of additional weight. Pure electric vehicles weigh 300-700 kilograms more than their fuel-powered counterparts, and hybrid vehicles (combining both battery and petrol power) weigh even more, by 400-800 kilograms. From January to April 2026, the average weight of new energy vehicles increased by 27.5% compared to 2020, an increase of 333 kilograms.
3. Addition of Comfort Features: Advanced features such as intelligent driving systems, massage seats, and large screens also add to the overall weight. For instance, a single massage seat can weigh several dozen kilograms.
In simple terms, people are shifting from buying sedans to SUVs; instead of refueling, they are charging electric vehicles. Cars have evolved from being merely means of transportation to becoming "mobile living rooms," which naturally leads to increased weight.
The "Security Hegemony": Larger Vehicles Are Safer for the Driver but a Threat to Others
Many believe that larger vehicles are safer, but this is a misconception:
- For Drivers: The death rate inside SUVs is indeed lower than in sedans (according to IIHS data: 43 deaths per million vehicles for SUVs compared to 92 for sedans). However, beyond a certain weight (1814 kilograms), further increases in weight have little impact on safety.
- For Others: SUVs pose a greater risk to smaller vehicles and pedestrians. For example, a pickup truck that weighs 227 kilograms more can result in an additional 7 deaths per million vehicle accidents. At speeds over 63 kilometers per hour, SUVs are 100% more likely to cause fatalities when hitting pedestrians, compared to 54% for sedans. In rollover accidents, the death rate is also 5 percentage points higher for SUVs.
This phenomenon is akin to wearing a bulletproof vest while making others vulnerable—it provides additional safety for the driver but at the expense of others.
The Inequality Between Fuel and Electric Vehicles
New energy vehicles have gained momentum thanks to government subsidies and tax incentives. However, as these benefits diminish, the issue of funding road maintenance becomes more prominent:
- Fuel-powered vehicles pay for road maintenance through fuel taxes, but electric vehicles do not. This means that the cost is borne by taxpayers.
- Internationally, some countries (such as the United States and Norway) have implemented fees for electric vehicles, with fees ranging from $130 to $400 per year. China may follow suit, possibly charging based on mileage or battery usage to achieve a more equitable system.
Fuel-powered vehicles are now at a disadvantage: by 2025, there will be fewer than 20 new fuel vehicle models, and domestic manufacturers will hold only 44% of the market share. If this discrimination continues, Chinese companies could lose their global presence in the fuel vehicle sector.
Government Measures to Address Heavier Cars
Countries are taking action to address the issue of heavier vehicles:
- France's Weight Penalties: Since 2022, a fee of €10 has been imposed for vehicles weighing over 1800 kilograms, with the threshold lowered to 1600 kilograms in 2024, and the maximum penalty reaching €30 per kilogram. As a result, the French version of the Audi Q5 weighs 55 kilograms less than its German counterpart, and the Ford Explorer was withdrawn from the French market due to its excessive weight.
- China's Fuel Consumption Standards: In 2026, China introduced the world's first mandatory fuel consumption standards for electric vehicles, requiring a maximum power consumption of 15.1 kWh per 100 kilometers. Nearly 40% of electric vehicle models do not meet these standards, forcing manufacturers to either reduce weight or improve battery efficiency (e.g., increasing range by 7%).
China's current approach focuses on improving vehicle technology before reducing weight, with the threshold for imposing fuel consumption restrictions set at 2710 kilograms.
The Way Forward: Technological Innovation and Fair Cost Sharing
The increase in car weight is not an insurmountable problem; the key is to establish a fair and innovative framework:
1. Technological Solutions: The widespread adoption of autonomous driving will help reduce safety issues associated with heavier vehicles. New materials (such as carbon fiber) can make cars lighter, and solid-state batteries can increase range without increasing weight.
2. Fair Cost Sharing: Heavier vehicles should bear the costs associated with their use, such as through weight-based taxes or road maintenance fees based on mileage.
3. Avoiding a Technological Arms Race: Manufacturers should focus on improving efficiency rather than competing in terms of battery size and vehicle weight.
In conclusion, consumers can choose heavier vehicles if they wish, but they should be willing to pay the additional costs. Manufacturers need to innovate to meet consumer demands without overloading them with unnecessary features. Society must ensure that the costs of heavier vehicles are not borne by everyone, promoting a healthy development of the automotive industry.