ELECTRIC cars could cause more pothole misery for drivers, an industry body has warned.
Smaller roads – such as the ones outside most British homes – will crumble under the weight of heavier electric vehicles, road material suppliers say.
Electric vehicles could lead to more potholes in residential roads, according to the country’s asphalt industry body
This comes after numerous experts raised concerns about the capacity of the current road infrastructure to handle the increase in EVs
This comes after numerous experts raised concerns about the capacity of the current road infrastructure to handle the increase in EVs.
Unclassified roads, which make up 60 per cent of all UK roads, are largely rural and minor public roads such as residential streets.
Battery-powered vehicles can weigh up to a third more than petrol and diesel cars – and the UK government estimates that there will be more EVs on the road in the future.
According to the Government’s most optimistic forecast, electric vehicles will account for four out of every five miles travelled by 2035.
The Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) is a partnership between the Mineral Products Association and Eurobitume UK, the two principal bodies that represent the country’s largest road suppliers.
Rick Green, chair of the AIA, told the Telegraph: “Principal roads are already designed to deal with the axle weights for HGVs, so we do not anticipate that heavier electrical cars will impact on road surfaces or structures.
“However, on unclassified roads – the sort of roads most of us live on and which make up the majority of the local road network in mileage terms – there could be more of an impact.
“Unclassified roads would not have been designed to accommodate HGV axle weights, so heavier electric cars could exacerbate existing weaknesses, thereby accelerating decline.”
The Government has also anticipated that switching to electric cars will result in higher traffic levels on the roads because EVs are less expensive to maintain than petrol and diesel vehicles.
The AIA’S annual Alarm survey found out that it would now cost £12.6billion to fix all the potholes in England’s local roads.
This comes after hard-up motorists were sinking into pothole hell, according to a report.
Plus, a suburban street in a seaside resort was branded Britain’s worst for potholes after 21 of them were found in a 220-yard stretch.