{"id":110853,"date":"2023-08-16T11:03:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-16T15:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=110853"},"modified":"2023-08-17T11:04:21","modified_gmt":"2023-08-17T15:04:21","slug":"huge-cars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/huge-cars\/","title":{"rendered":"The Problem With America&#8217;s Huge Cars: Car Bloat Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>What is car bloat? Why do Americans tend to prefer huge cars? What are the negative consequences?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Car bloat\u2014a trend toward ever-larger vehicles\u2014is taking over US roads, and it shows no signs of slowing. The trend of Americans buying bigger, heavier vehicles is amping up car prices and damaging the environment, public health, and roads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s take a look at what led to car bloat and why it&#8217;s a problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-americans-want-huge-cars\">Americans Want Huge Cars<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Car bloat\u2014a trend toward purchasing huge cars\u2014is taking over US roadways and wreaking havoc on consumers\u2019 wallets, the environment, public health, and roads. But it shows no signs of slowing.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-background\"><strong>Background<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Car bloat is the <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/mastodon.social\/@davidzipper\/110843917014173845\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>progressive shift<\/strong><\/a><strong> in the US from smaller vehicles to larger, heavier SUVs and trucks.<\/strong> Roughly <a href=\"https:\/\/jalopnik.com\/trucks-and-suvs-are-now-over-80-percent-of-new-car-sale-1848427797\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">80% of today\u2019s new vehicle sales are SUVs and trucks<\/a>\u2014up from 53% in 2010.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Larger vehicles\u2019 popularity has grown in recent years for several reasons, including:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Their <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/slate.com\/business\/2022\/11\/suv-size-truck-bloat-pedestrian-deaths.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>perceived safety benefits<\/strong><\/a><strong>.<\/strong> <\/li><li><strong>Bigger cars <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/jalopnik.com\/trucks-and-suvs-are-now-over-80-percent-of-new-car-sale-1848427797\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>produce higher profits<\/strong><\/a><strong> for auto manufacturers than smaller cars.<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-big-are-they\"><strong>How Big Are They?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The average 2021 Ford F-Series truck is 18.9 feet long, 6.5 feet wide, 6.2 feet high, and 4,000 and 5,300 pounds<\/strong>\u2014it\u2019s also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thezebra.com\/resources\/driving\/average-car-size\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">25% larger<\/a> than its early 1950s counterpart. Ford\u2019s F-150 Lightning Electric Vehicle (EV) is <a href=\"https:\/\/slate.com\/business\/2023\/06\/electric-vehicles-auto-haulers-weight-capacity-roads.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">one-third heavier<\/a> than its gas-powered F-150.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Hummer EV weighs <a href=\"https:\/\/www.curbed.com\/2023\/06\/new-york-suv-trucks-weight-based-fee.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">9,000 pounds<\/a>. Its battery, alone, weighs <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/technology\/archive\/2023\/07\/electric-vehicles-tires-wearing-out-particulates\/674750\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">roughly the same as some Toyota Corolla models<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Compare these giants to the average sedan, which is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thezebra.com\/resources\/driving\/average-car-size\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">14.7 feet long, 5.8 feet wide<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/vehiclehelp.com\/car-height\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">4 to 5 feet high<\/a>, and roughly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.curbed.com\/2023\/06\/new-york-suv-trucks-weight-based-fee.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">3,300 pounds<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-car-bloat-s-toll\"><strong>Car Bloat\u2019s Toll&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Experts say that larger, heavier, taller cars are wreaking havoc on American society by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1.<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/money.com\/average-new-car-price-record-high\/?xid=moneyrss\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Pushing car prices higher<\/strong><\/a><strong>. <\/strong>The average price of a new car hit a record high of nearly $50,000 last December. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/technology\/archive\/2023\/07\/electric-vehicles-tires-wearing-out-particulates\/674750\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Threatening the environment and public health<\/strong><\/a><strong>. <\/strong>Although electrifying bigger trucks and SUVs is being touted as a climate-friendly alternative to large, emissions-leaking, gas-powered vehicles, it\u2019s no panacea:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Larger EVs\u2019 massive batteries, regenerative braking systems, and rapid acceleration abilities<strong> hasten and worsen tire wear, which releases toxic particles into the air, water, and soil.<\/strong><\/li><li>Mining for the lithium, cobalt, and nickel needed for EV batteries <strong>destroys land, water, and wildlife<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Charging SUV and truck EVs\u2019 giant batteries leads to <strong>extreme power consumption and the<\/strong> <strong>release of more emissions per mile than gas-powered vehicles.<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Further, larger, heavier, taller vehicles <a href=\"https:\/\/slate.com\/business\/2022\/11\/suv-size-truck-bloat-pedestrian-deaths.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">create risks<\/a> for pedestrians and people in smaller cars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>SUVs are two to three times more likely than sedans to fatally injure pedestrians.\u00a0<\/li><li>Bigger cars cause more fatalities and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.curbed.com\/2023\/06\/new-york-suv-trucks-weight-based-fee.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pose a particular danger to children,<\/a> who are eight times more likely to die if hit by an SUV than a sedan. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3. <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/slate.com\/business\/2023\/06\/electric-vehicles-auto-haulers-weight-capacity-roads.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Putting excessive weight on roadways<\/strong><\/a><strong>.<\/strong> Car Carriers, also called &#8220;auto haulers,\u201d transport vehicles across US highways from ports, train stations, and factories to car dealerships. Historically, haulers have carried up to nine cars at a time, but today many can\u2019t because bigger, heavier SUVs and trucks are pushing carriers\u2019 weight beyond federal roadway limits.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a result, <a href=\"https:\/\/slate.com\/business\/2023\/06\/electric-vehicles-auto-haulers-weight-capacity-roads.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>more haulers have to leave empty spaces on their rigs<\/strong><\/a><strong>\u2014forcing them to make more trips and use more fuel <\/strong>to transport fewer, heavier cars\u2014increasing road damage and emissions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-looking-ahead\"><strong>Looking Ahead\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>With EVs and the research on large SUVs and trucks still in the early stages, the full impact of car bloat remains to be seen. But experts say legislators should take steps now to prevent it from wreaking havoc on the economy, environment, public health, and roads. To do this, they should <strong>discourage Americans from buying the largest, heaviest cars<\/strong>, by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/slate.com\/business\/2022\/11\/suv-size-truck-bloat-pedestrian-deaths.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Taxing vehicles by weight<\/a>.<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.curbed.com\/2023\/06\/new-york-suv-trucks-weight-based-fee.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Regulating vehicle height<\/a>.\u00a0<\/li><li>Pushing auto insurance companies to <a href=\"https:\/\/slate.com\/business\/2022\/11\/suv-size-truck-bloat-pedestrian-deaths.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">raise premiums for the heaviest and riskiest cars to cover<\/a>.<strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is car bloat? Why do Americans tend to prefer huge cars? What are the negative consequences? Car bloat\u2014a trend toward ever-larger vehicles\u2014is taking over US roads, and it shows no signs of slowing. The trend of Americans buying bigger, heavier vehicles is amping up car prices and damaging the environment, public health, and roads. Let&#8217;s take a look at what led to car bloat and why it&#8217;s a problem.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":110862,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[81,24],"tags":[727],"class_list":["post-110853","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economics","category-society","tag-articles","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The Problem With America&#039;s Huge Cars: Car Bloat Explained - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Americans keep buying bigger and bigger cars, and these huge cars don&#039;t come without consequences. Here&#039;s a look at the effects of car bloat.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/huge-cars\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Problem With America&#039;s Huge Cars: Car Bloat Explained\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Americans keep buying bigger and bigger cars, and these huge cars don&#039;t come without consequences. 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