Tag Archives: heavier

Motorsport

Cowards: Range Rover Won’t Make Wheels Bigger Than 23 Inches

As vehicles get greater, heavier, and extra hulking, so too do the wheels that assist carry them. The Chevrolet Silverado EV—a 5,450-pound behemoth at its bulkiest—has the primary 24-inch wheels from the manufacturing unit, whereas different automakers are shifting to 22- and 23-inch sneakers as vital.

But some corporations are too scared to slap something greater than 23-inchers on its vehicles. Land Rover mentioned in a current interview with CarThrottle that it gained’t go greater than that. “23 seems to be about the limit,” JLR’s Vehicle Engineering Director, Matt Becker, instructed the web site. “You wouldn’t want to go much bigger than that… I don’t see many 24-inch wheels.”

For an organization so synonymous with high-end luxurious, it is stunning that 23 inches is the restrict, particularly with a brand new electric Range Rover on the way. That mentioned, the brand new Range Rover Sport SV does have 23-inch carbon fiber wheel—the most important of its form and an possibility that Range Rover says has been an early hit with consumers.

2024 Range Rover Sport SV
2024 Range Rover Sport SV

“We are building the carbon wheels as fast as we can,” Jamal Hameedi, SV’s Brand Director mentioned in the identical interview. “It’s been off the chart… carbon is the best option.”

While carbon fiber wheels will be controversial for his or her fragility—particularly at 23 inches—they do shave off about 80 kilos complete (20 kilos every) from the entire curb weight in comparison with the conventional solid models. Any weight financial savings are useful for a automotive that suggestions the scales at almost 6,000 kilos.

If you do determine {that a} $181,775 Range Rover Sport SV is your subsequent buy, you’ll must pay further for these carbon fiber sneakers. Range Rover asks an additional £6,900 (about $8,700) for the lighter wheel possibility.

Motorsport

Guardrails Are No Match For Heavy Electric Vehicles, Testing Shows

Electric automobiles are heavier than their combustion-powered counterparts. The large battery packs these automobiles require are hefty items of kit that sit within the ground and decrease a automobile’s middle of gravity. This may enhance dealing with, but it surely may current a problem for the prevailing highway security infrastructure if current assessments are any indication. 

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln not too long ago catapulted a Rivian R1T electrical pickup truck at a typical metal guardrail at 60 miles per hour to see the way it’d maintain up. It didn’t.

The scary footage reveals the hefty Rivian blasting via the metal guardrail as if it wasn’t even there, ripping it aside. The electrical pickup nonetheless had sufficient momentum to then vault over a concrete barrier located behind the guardrail.

The college additionally examined a Tesla Model 3, and the barrier additionally didn’t cease the sedan. The Model 3 lifted the guardrail, passing beneath it. Additional crash assessments are deliberate towards the Midwest Guardrail System, which has been examined with automobiles that weigh as much as 5,000 kilos, a weight ranking many EVs exceed.

The Rivian R1T suggestions the scales at simply over 7,000 lbs. The Ford F-150 Lightning, whereas lighter, weighs over 6,000 lbs. The Hummer EV is heavier at over 9,000 lbs, however even smaller EVs just like the Mercedes-Benz EQE sedan break the 5,000-lbs mark.

The US Army Engineer Research and Development Center is sponsoring the analysis effort on the college. Not solely is the testing getting used to enhance our highway security infrastructure, however the Army can be evaluating how finest to guard navy installations and different delicate authorities websites from hostile actors who may use a hefty EV to bypass safety measures.

More than 100,000 automobiles undergo from run-off crashes yearly. With extra EVs hitting the highway, we’re sure to see points rise with the security infrastructure. These assessments will assist inform states about how finest to guard light-weight gas-powered vehicles and heavy EVs on the similar time.

Motorsport

Paris To Fight Pollution With Higher Parking Fees For SUVs

Paris has approved a plan to impose higher parking fees on SUVs in an effort to combat air pollution in the city. SUVs are considered one of the main sources of pollution due to their larger size, weight, and fuel consumption compared to hatchbacks, sedans, and station wagons. The new law, proposed by the EELV ecology party, takes into account the size, weight, and engine of the vehicle when calculating the fees. The measure was approved by Paris councilors last month, with the aim of addressing the increase in SUVs in the city, which has risen by about 60 percent in the last four years. However, SUVs only make up around 15 percent of the city’s total fleet of private vehicles, which stands at approximately 1.15 million.

The proposal is for the city of Paris to implement progressive pricing for paid parking based on the weight and size of vehicles. Frédéric Badina-Serpette, a councilor from the EELV, explained that the goal is to draw attention to the growing issue of “auto-besity,” referring to the increasing weight and size of vehicles on the roads, particularly in Paris.

The new rule is set to take effect from January 1 of next year, when SUV owners will start paying higher parking fees. However, electric vehicles and vehicles belonging to large families are expected to be exempt from these fees. The specific details of the charges and how SUVs will be categorized have not been disclosed yet.

This move by Paris follows a similar decision by the city of Lyon earlier this year. Lyon announced a new parking policy that will be implemented next year, where parking fees in public areas will be determined based on the vehicle’s size, weight, and engine. Electric vehicles will qualify for the lowest parking fees, while combustion-powered vehicles weighing over a certain threshold will face higher fees. Grenoble, another city in France, is also expected to introduce a similar policy in the near future.