I’m starting to think we need weight limits on standard passenger vehicles so that designers have a constraint to work within. Of course there should be exceptions granted for commercial and similar usage, but I fail to see the logic in allowing 7000 lb Suburbans or Escalades on the road as daily drivers.

I’m not even talking EVs here. Why is a Hummer legal to drive when it causes disproportionate wear on the streets, can’t fit adequately in a lot of parking, and will essentially obliterate any other vehicle it hits? It doesn’t even have a reasonable commercial purpose beyond wrapping it with advertising and using it as a parked billboard as far as I’ve seen.

And as far as EVs go, my Ioniq 5 is a little over two tons and has the wheelbase of a Palisade already. Do you really need a whole other ton and a half to add a third row? On my car I’m pretty sure you just have to square off the roof and allow some overhang in the back. It’ll need more battery, but a ton more? Empty pickup truck beds aren’t all that heavy either, for that matter.

I can’t imagine this type of mass inflation has been as rampant in Europe and other areas that value small cars. We Americans have always been in love with displacement, whether it’s coming from the engine or the chassis.