Data revealing the potential pothole damage caused by electric vehicles has strengthened the case for concrete roads, according to an industry body.
Analysis by the University of Leeds shows that the average electric car more than doubles the wear and tear on roads, increasing the risk of small cracks which develop into potholes. Such vehicles can weigh up to two tons because of the heavy battery.
The research, first published by The Daily Telegraph, found the average electric car put 2.24 times more stress on roads than its petrol equivalent and 1.95 times more than diesel.
Larger electric vehicles – those weighing over two tons – are most damaging to road surfaces, responsible for 2.32 times more wear.
Over 95 per cent of UK roads are currently surfaced with asphalt, which is a mixture of aggregates – crushed rock, sand, gravel or slag – and binder and filler materials.
But Britpave, the British Cementitious Paving Association, says a more robust road surface will be required to cope with the additional pressure created by the growth in electric vehicles.
“The road network needs a surface solution that can help realise the potential for electric vehicles,” said Britpave chair Joe Quirke.
Concrete roads offer a stronger road surface with better long-term performance and lower maintenance requirements than asphalt, he added.
“The long-term strength and performance of concrete makes [it] well suited for such roads as they do not need regular maintenance and in hot summers do not melt, unlike asphalt roads.”
Researchers at the University of Leeds divided the models by size into small electric cars weighing over 1,000kg, such as the BMW Mini Cooper SE three-door and Peugeot e208, medium models over 1,500kg, such as the Ford Focus Electric and Vauxhall Corsa-e, and larger vehicles including the Jaguar I-pace EV and Audi e-tron 50 Quattro.
They found that the electric vehicles were on average 312kg heavier than similar petrol versions due to their heavier batteries, which weigh up to 500kg.
The UK’s pothole crisis, which has seen half as many potholes filled last year compared with a decade ago and the estimated total repair bill now reaching £12bn, could be exacerbated by the additional weight of electric vehicles, Britpave said.
Advocates of asphalt in roads argue it has many advantages as a road surface. The Asphalt Industry Alliance website says: “Its inherent qualities of flexibility, efficiency of construction, ease of maintenance and value for money make it the number one choice with more than 20 million tonnes of asphalt produced each year in the UK.”
Some 4 per cent of England’s motorway and long-distance A-road network, around 400 miles, is made from concrete, according to National Highways.
2023-06-30