Safety Experts Worried About Electric Cars’ Weight

Michael Brooks, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety, notes that the extreme power of today’s electric cars compounds the problem.

“People are not trained to handle that type of acceleration. It’s just not something that drivers are used to doing,” Brooks told NPR.

By Sean Tucker
January 13, 2023

The 2023 Mazda MX-5 Miata may be the lightest mainstream car for sale in the United States today. In its simplest form, and with a full tank of gas, it weighs about 2,300 pounds.

The 2023 GMC Hummer electric vehicle (EV) may be the heaviest. It rolls out the factory doors at just over 9,000.

The Hummer outweighs the Miata by more than two Miatas.

The truck’s sheer size is part of the reason. But the Hummer is a heavyweight by heavyweight standards. If you order GMC’s other full-size pickup, the Sierra 1500, with similar seating for five and more cargo bed space, the truck still comes in under 6,000 pounds (more than a Miata lighter).

The difference is the battery. Batteries are heavy. According to GMC, the Hummer’s Ultium battery weighs about 2,900 pounds. It’s only 22 pounds lighter than some Toyota Corollas.

Click here to view the full story from Kelley Blue Book.