Does size and weight matter in an electric car?

But I will be a glutton for punishment and double down on the all-electric car, the Porsche Taycan. Thanks to its 750 horsepower and 1,389 pounds of batteries, the Turbo S model can do 0 to 60 in 2.6 seconds, which leads to a curb weight of 5,121 pounds and a Gross Vehicle Weight of 6,327 pounds. Imagine, a sports car on Brooklyn Bridge that is too big to drive.

© Porsche

That takes us back to our debate about sufficiency. How much acceleration and speed does anyone need, and at what cost? I don’t know what this car’s total carbon emissions are, but I suspect it’s north of 60 tons. And this thing has an abysmal range for all that money and strength, valued at 192 milles by the client.

It consumes an immense amount of energy too. One Tesla fanboi website,

Porsche’s latest electric Taycan car is the least powerful electric vehicle ever built. Its overall output was 69 MPGe, which is small for a modern electric vehicle, as well as the nominal range from a single charge of 201 miles. This also means that with an average power consumption of 49 kWh per 100 miles, the Taycan Turbo engulfs the Tesla Model 3 Long Range, which uses an average of 26 kWh per 100 miles, by almost twice.

© Porsche

Efficiency is still relevant without even mentioning the energy mix in the US, where the power is getting cleaner every day. And, range counts for most purchasers of electric cars. Eva Fox of the Tesmanian (and a Tesla owner) fanboi site quotes VW’s CEO, who says they focused on results and that “radius wasn’t a top priority.”

In reality, the Porsche attitude is counterproductive to the production of whole electric vehicles. Consumers have high expectations for a brand that has long created beautiful sports cars. Upon this purchase, though, almost everyone will be very dissatisfied and will think that the EVs are a huge challenge, because you have to charge it too often. To certain people this may become an obstacle to converting to environmentally friendly transport.

Everybody is competing to make electric cars and trucks the biggest and cheapest, using more resources in their production, taking up more space. Perhaps out of the stuff in this one Taycan, Porsche could build 3 electric cars the size and weight of her classic 356, and it would actually be a lot of fun to drive. And with good selection of Car Accessories in it, it will be a pleasure to ride on.

Indeed weight matters a lot. Steel, aluminum and battery production all cause environmental degradation and carbon emissions. Having electric cars heavier means they consume more energy, and when it is manufactured has an environmental cost. Heavier cars contain more particulate emissions from tire wear and non-regenerative braking, even though they’re hybrid. The sum of stuff we use to make counts.

If we are going to reduce our carbon emissions enough to survive in a climate of 1.5 degrees, then every ton of carbon pollution that is embodied or upfront matter. According to the CEO, “Volkswagen acknowledges responsibility for environment.” Maybe then it shouldn’t produce rockets of 3 tons, electric or otherwise.