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Electric cars DO weigh more than gas-powered cars.
While a vehicle with an internal combustion engine has more parts in the powertrain – 2,000 compared to 20 – an EV has a high-voltage battery that weighs a lot. Like a lot, a lot.
See below for a chart and detailed descriptions comparing car weights for Teslas and other popular EVs.
Other Reasons EVs Are Heavier
While the weight of the batteries is a major reason EVs are heavier than ICE cars, there are other reasons:
Electronics
Electronics are usually not very heavy, but when you have enough of them, the weight can add up. In an EV, there are lots of electronics such as cameras, onboard computers, and sensors, and they can add extra on to the gross weight of the car.
Exterior Body
When the internal components of a car are very heavy, it means the bodywork must be strong enough to support it. An EV battery is very heavy, so the body itself has to be stronger than non-EVs. It requires thicker and stronger materials that can bear the weight. This, in turn, makes the car heavier. Automakers are combatting this by using a lot of aluminum in EV bodies.
Charging Infrastructure
Even though everyone thinks that an EV charger is a box on the wall, there is actually machinery in the car itself that takes electricity from the wall and sends it in a usable form to the battery. The entire charging infrastructure of an EV can add weight.
Is the Extra Weight Safe?
While EV nerds love to talk about the weight of new models and how it contributes to handling and efficiency, manufacturers seem not to be concerned just yet. And, at least for the driver and passengers, the weight of these cars helps keep them safe. Based on simple physics, the mass of these EVs work in their favor in the face of a collision.
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