Experts are expressing concern that the increasing popularity of electric cars could lead to the collapse of multi-level parking garages in the UK. A report by The Telegraph reveals that many of these garages have aging infrastructure, leading engineers to recommend improvements in maintenance and an increase in the amount of weight these buildings can support.
Chris Whapples, a structural engineer and car park consultant, has raised concerns that the weight of electric vehicles could cause some older car parks in poor condition to collapse. In a related statement to The Telegraph, Steve Holmes, a senior technical manager at building supply company Sika, noted that numerous parking garages across the UK have structural issues due to inadequate maintenance.
Due to the weight of their batteries, electric vehicles are typically heavier than traditional gasoline-powered cars. For example, Ford’s F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck weighs 2,000 to 3,000 pounds more than its non-electric counterpart.
To address this issue, Whapples and Russell Simmons, who serves as chair of the British Parking Association’s structures group, have suggested implementing new guidelines that propose adding higher load-bearing capacities to older parking garages that are in a state of disrepair. This is intended to accommodate the weight of electric cars.
The Telegraph has reported that the guidelines for adapting parking garages to support the weight of electric cars will be made public within the next few weeks. Nevertheless, worries regarding the weight of electric vehicles extend beyond just the UK’s parking infrastructure. Earlier this year, the chief of the National Transportation Safety Board in the United States expressed apprehensions about the safety risks involved in collisions between electric cars and lighter vehicles.