New cars are getting 1.2cm longer and 0.5cm taller each year
3 hours ago
- New cars are growing in size: average length increases by 1.2 cm per year, height by 0.5 cm, and width by 0.5 cm.
- Two future scenarios are compared: the current ever-bigger trend and a right-sizing scenario returning to 2015 levels by 2040.
- Under the current trend, cities could lose 8.5% to 14% of on-street parking spaces by 2040.
- Road safety worsens: 2,600 additional vulnerable road user deaths, including 79 children, by 2040 under the current trend.
- Energy demand rises: an extra 22.5 TWh of electricity per year (equivalent to 1,500 wind turbines) and €7 billion in household charging costs by 2040.
- Oil dependence increases: over 100 million additional barrels of imported oil needed by 2040.
- Policy actions proposed include capping bonnet height at 85 cm, limiting width to 192 cm, and varying taxes and parking charges by vehicle dimensions.