Electric cars may stress roads, bridges

Electric cars have been around since 1830. The design has come a long way but one of the things I never see addressed is their weight. Reportedly the GMC EV Hummer will weigh about 9,000 pounds.

Weight is a huge factor in road and bridge maintenance. The heavier the vehicle the more wear and tear on the roads and bridges. Also, brakes are another issue. Shorter stopping distance has been important in figuring the safety of a vehicle. The structure of brake pads needs to be addressed. Will they wear out quicker or will they make more heavy duty brakes that come with an additional cost? Are suspensions being redesigned to handle this additional weight. Are shocks and springs wearing out quicker?

With millions of miles of road in need of repair and hundreds of bridges, how much sooner will this infrastructure fail under these heavier weights? I think a lot more money will be needed for infrastructure. I also think the cost of vehicle maintenance will increase.

John P. Reilly

North Whitehall Township