Civil engineering and infrastructure experts defended electric cars and SUVs, refuting the idea that these vehicles are primarily responsible for the appearance of potholes and the degradation of highways in the United Kingdom. This debate gained momentum after research indicated that the average mass of new automobiles has increased by approximately 400 kilograms over the last nine years, approaching two tons, leading large city councils to discuss increasing parking fees for heavy vehicles.
Despite the overall increase in the weight of passenger fleets, industry professionals clarify that the damage caused to asphalt is not based solely on total weight, but rather on the load distribution per axle. Engineers explain that wear increases exponentially: doubling the pressure on an axle multiplies the structural damage to the pavement by sixteen. For this reason, the greatest damage to roads is generated by heavy cargo transport, since a single trip by a large truck is equivalent to the impact of thousands of common cars.
Another crucial factor highlighted by the experts is the detrimental effect of climatic conditions combined with insufficient maintenance funds. The repeated cycles of freezing and thawing of water that penetrates microscopic cracks in the pavement weaken its structure, while extreme heat waves soften the road material.
Industry data shows that local authorities face a billion-dollar financial delay in road recovery projects, resulting in much of the network having a reduced lifespan. Thus, technical bodies conclude that the root of the road problem lies in intense truck traffic, severe weather, and the continuous lack of investment, absolving light passenger cars of the primary responsibility often attributed to them.