This guest editor piece was written by Sravan Appana, Chief Executer at micromobility firm iGo. You can find out more about iGo’s products, here.
We live in a world where the urban landscape has to constantly deal with challenges at every pit stop. Today, congested roads, pollution levels, and poor or limited infrastructure are among the many challenges that hamper the experience of not just pedestrians and riders but also city dwellers. Amid these concerns, more individuals are seeing EVs as a way out, which is, in turn, prompting a parallel debate around heavyweight EVs (HEVs) and so-called ‘lean’ EVs (LEVs). According to the Department of Road Transport and Highways, road accidents in India claim nearly 78,000 lives each year. Similarly, traffic congestion affects road safety and leads to productivity losses.
Cities like London and New York have already implemented congestion pricing to manage traffic flow. In London, drivers are charged approximately $18.95 on a weekday and part of the weekend for driving in the congested zone. However, the issue of traffic congestion is common in both developed and developing nations, calling for more efficient transportation solutions. This makes it important for us to discuss whether light vehicles like trikes and mopeds could be a better alternative in terms of ergonomic design, environmental impact, and, more importantly, road safety concerns.
Identifying the Problem with HEVs
I believe that to understand what makes LEVs a smarter choice, we need to first identify the problems common with HEVs.
Weight and Space
Heavy-weight EVs are designed to carry at least 3x the dead weight than the payload they transport. They not only consume high energy but also occupy a lot of space on the road, which happens to worsen traffic congestion in already congested cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, and Delhi. There’s no shame in saying that their bulky design actually makes them unsuitable for India’s narrow streets, which have an average occupancy of 1.2 people per vehicle. Another example is how the Western world designs bulky automobiles and heating systems for sub-zero freezing temperatures, which is completely wasteful in regions like Africa, South America, and South Asia, and has environmental ramifications.
Wastage of Energy and Deadweight
It’s no shocker that heavyweight EVs waste energy and carry unnecessary deadweight just to transport one or two people. 90% of the time, they are plying inside urban metro areas carrying a single person for the commute, while they were designed for the German autobahns and expressways. HEVs also tend to emit more CO2 than ICE vehicles and hybrid alternatives if we factor in their full lifecycle impact. Typically, HEV batteries require substantial energy and raw materials, which is not ideal from a sustainability POV.
Range Anxiety and Charging Infrastructure
The bulkier vehicles with larger batteries demand expensive charging setups and extended charging durations. This puts HEVs at a disadvantage, especially in locations with limited charging infrastructure. Bharat, India is way behind the required number of charging stations to support broad-scale EV adoption and use. A recent report has found that Bharat needs 3.9 million charging stations in the next 5 years to maintain a ratio of 1 charging station for every 20 EVs and to meet its 2030 goal.
However, our current infrastructure allows one public charger per 135 EVs, suggesting a dire situation. The EU recommends a ratio of less than 10 EVs per charger, but many nations are far from this threshold. Data shows that 24 European countries have a sufficient EV-to-public charger ratio, while the US has been slow in achieving this balance.
Cost of Road Infrastructure
The cost of maintaining road infrastructure due to heavy loads and charging infrastructure for large batteries remains a challenge. Studies show that BEVs can cause 20% to 40% more road wear than ICE vehicles due to the weight of HEVs like heavy goods vehicles and buses. Similarly, to transition large vehicles to battery electricity, Scotland would need an additional £164 million annually for road maintenance.
Safety Concern
The size of HEVs also poses safety risks, especially on narrow lanes, congested roads, and even in parking lots. Their bulky size and heavy weight make them less manoeuvrable and more dangerous, adding to the risk of accidents and damage to pedestrians and vehicles. We must also factor in the several incidents where large vehicles have run over children in parking areas to fully understand the dangers of oversized vehicles in densely populated spaces.
What Makes Lean EVs a Better Alternative to Heavy EVs?
Compact Design and Lower Impact
Light EVs are lightweight and compact in design. I believe their compact design allows them to easily navigate traffic without occupying a lot of space on packed roads. The agility of light EVs efficiently helps overcome the spatial constraints that hinder the mobility of vehicle users. Unlike HEVs, lean EVs rely on smaller batteries, which helps lower their carbon footprint during production and lifecycle. Additionally, they consume less energy per kilometre than bulkier alternatives, which makes them a smarter and more sustainable alternative for urban transportation.
Lower Range Anxiety
Thanks to advancements in EV battery technology like lithium-ion batteries, LEVs can traverse longer ranges without being dependent on oversized batteries. They also take less time to charge than bulkier vehicles, making them a more practical choice for daily commutes and for gig workers and micro-entrepreneurs who rely on their two-wheelers to ferry their products. For instance, electric trikes need a standard 2-hour home charging and are compatible with faster charging solutions. This compatibility and quick charging duration ensure less downtime and more action. Additionally, I believe their need for comparatively less power and a simpler charging setup further aligns with the global need to expand EV infrastructure without straining the current electricity grid.
Enhanced Safety
If we compare them with heavy vehicles, LEVs like bikes and trikes are less likely to cause major accidents in crowded areas. This impacts the maneuverability of their vehicle and puts them at greater risk, especially when the roads are dominated by heavier vehicles. This is why vehicles that feature an on-demand self-balancing system, a dual-wheel powertrain, and a triple-disc-brake CBS system are more adept at ensuring safety, balance, and comfort. Light EVs that address the challenges of skidding and toppling are best suited for the emerging economies’ needs. For instance, anti-topple electric trikes with on-demand stabilization bring this enhanced safety.
Hence, we can say that urban challenges demand tailored solutions. And, in this regard, Lean EVs can prove to be more effective than HEVs in curtailing issues such as pollution, road safety, and infrastructure limitations. As global economies come together to share technology and design innovations, I believe we can overcome infrastructural constraints and lead the future of mobility.
Just like the shrinking semi-conductor managed to revolutionize the computing industry with a smartphone in a every pocket, the shrinking EV powertrain will enable mobility for the next 6 billion people and make them self-reliant. The next century belongs to the global South, and affordable mobility will enable this.
