Australian Politics Forum - Older Car Parks Could Collapse Under EV's Weight?

AusGeoff

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Older Car Parks Could Collapse Under EV's Weight?
Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 1:41am

Multi-level car parks around the world including in Australia could
face serious risk of structural failure and collapse due to the
increasing weight of electric vehicles (EVs) on aging infrastructure,
according to experts.

With some public and private car parks having been built decades
ago when cars were smaller and significantly lighter in weight, there
is a growing concern that as more and more EVs hit the road, the
added weight of these vehicles will cause serious issues.

Multi-level car parks could face serious risk of structural failure.

The average EV weighs significantly more than traditional petrol or
diesel cars, largely due to their battery systems. As an example the
top-spec Tesla Model X has a kerb weight of 2,467kg, which means
its Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 3,069kg would far exceed
most expectations of weight requirements in the past.

Other models that may eventually find their way to Australia such as
the GMC Hummer EV weigh over 4,000kg, which makes its GVWR an
incredible 4,800kg. The battery pack alone weighs over 1,300kg,
about the weight of a small car equipped with an internal-
combustion engine.

The RAM 1500 REV we saw in New York last week (confirmed for
Australia) has a gigantic 229kWh battery and is expected to have a
kerb weight of over 4,000kg, which would make its GVWR even
higher than the Hummer.

Sad

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UnSubRocky

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Re: Older Car Parks Could Collapse Under EV's Weight?
Reply #1 - Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 2:45am

"Decades ago", cars weighed more than they do now. Why would car parks risk collapse, if EVs weigh as much as the cars from the 1980s. Car parks should be able to theoretically withstand the weight of numerous tanks getting parked in them. If not, then the car parks were not up to standard in the first place.

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Bobby.

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Re: Older Car Parks Could Collapse Under EV's Weight?
Reply #2 - Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 6:50am

UnSubRocky wrote on Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 2:45am:

"Decades ago", cars weighed more than they do now. Why would car parks risk collapse, if EVs weigh as much as the cars from the 1980s. Car parks should be able to theoretically withstand the weight of numerous tanks getting parked in them. If not, then the car parks were not up to standard in the first place.

From the link -
An engineer disagrees with you:

Quote:

Speaking to The Telegram in the UK, Chris Whapples, a structural engineer,
car park consultant, and author of the new guidelines for the British government, said,
“I don’t want to be too alarmist, but there definitely is the potential for some of the early car parks in poor condition to collapse.”

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AusGeoff

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Re: Older Car Parks Could Collapse Under EV's Weight?
Reply #3 - Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 7:47am

UnSubRocky wrote on Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 2:45am:

"Decades ago", cars weighed more than they do now...

Not so.

A 1985 Holden Commodore weighed 1,220 kg.
A 1985 Ford Falcon weighed 1,333 kg.
A 1985 Toyota Corona weighed 1,100 kg.

A 2022 Kia Sportage weighs 1,231 kg.
A 2022 Hyundai i30 weighs 1,447 kg.
A 2022 Tesla Model Y weighs 1,909 kg.

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UnSubRocky Gold Member Offline Crocodile Hunter: Origins Posts: 24086 Rockhampton Gender:	Re: Older Car Parks Could Collapse Under EV's Weight? Reply #4 - Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 12:33pm "the potential for some of the early car parks in poor condition to collapse". Well f'n duh!
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lee Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 17146 Gender:	Re: Older Car Parks Could Collapse Under EV's Weight? Reply #5 - Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 12:43pm So what are the comparison engineering specs? For what weight were they built? Is that over or under specs for a car park of EV's?
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UnSubRocky

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Re: Older Car Parks Could Collapse Under EV's Weight?
Reply #6 - Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 2:57pm

AusGeoff wrote on Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 7:47am:

UnSubRocky wrote on Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 2:45am:

"Decades ago", cars weighed more than they do now...

Not so.

A 1985 Holden Commodore weighed 1,220 kg.
A 1985 Ford Falcon weighed 1,333 kg.
A 1985 Toyota Corona weighed 1,100 kg.

A 2022 Kia Sportage weighs 1,231 kg.
A 2022 Hyundai i30 weighs 1,447 kg.
A 2022 Tesla Model Y weighs 1,909 kg.

I drive a car similar to the Hyundai i30, for my work purposes. They do not weigh that much. Perhaps the car I drive is a little older than what is shown, or maybe a different type of Hyundai. But they are not heavy.

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« Last Edit: Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 3:09pm by UnSubRocky »

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AusGeoff

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Re: Older Car Parks Could Collapse Under EV's Weight?
Reply #7 - Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 8:20pm

UnSubRocky wrote on Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 2:57pm:

AusGeoff wrote on Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 7:47am:

UnSubRocky wrote on Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 2:45am:

"Decades ago", cars weighed more than they do now...

Not so.

A 1985 Holden Commodore weighed 1,220 kg.
A 1985 Ford Falcon weighed 1,333 kg.
A 1985 Toyota Corona weighed 1,100 kg.

A 2022 Kia Sportage weighs 1,231 kg.
A 2022 Hyundai i30 weighs 1,447 kg.
A 2022 Tesla Model Y weighs 1,909 kg.

I drive a car similar to the Hyundai i30, for my work purposes. They do not weigh that much. Perhaps the car I drive is a little older than what is shown, or maybe a different type of Hyundai. But they are not heavy.

I dunno exactly what vehicle you're driving, but I checked the Hyundai
Australia 2023 web site for the masses of the i30...

2.0 GDi = 1,382 kg

1.6 CRDi = 1,445 kg

1.6 T-GDi = 1,436 kg

These are all heavier than the old 1980s Commodores and Falcons.

YMMV.

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Lisa Jones

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Re: Older Car Parks Could Collapse Under EV's Weight?
Reply #8 - Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 9:17pm

This topic is very important because it raises a major public health and safety issue.

Nevertheless, I fully expect the risks which have been identified to be completely ignored by multi storey car park owners/managers UNTIL some terrible accident occurs and innocent lives are needlessly lost. Such is my faith in people these days. 🥺😩

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Bobby.

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Re: Older Car Parks Could Collapse Under EV's Weight?
Reply #9 - Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 9:33pm

Lisa Jones wrote on Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 9:17pm:

This topic is very important because it raises a major public health and safety issue.

Nevertheless, I fully expect the risks which have been identified to be completely ignored by multi storey car park owners/managers UNTIL some terrible accident occurs and innocent lives are needlessly lost. Such is my faith in people these days. 🥺😩

There would be a large safety margin in the designs for load bearing weight.

I would say that large cracks would be noticed long before the structure fell down.

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Lisa Jones

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Re: Older Car Parks Could Collapse Under EV's Weight?
Reply #10 - Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 10:01pm

Bobby. wrote on Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 9:33pm:

Lisa Jones wrote on Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 9:17pm:

This topic is very important because it raises a major public health and safety issue.

Nevertheless, I fully expect the risks which have been identified to be completely ignored by multi storey car park owners/managers UNTIL some terrible accident occurs and innocent lives are needlessly lost. Such is my faith in people these days. 🥺😩

There would be a large safety margin in the designs for load bearing weight.

I would say that large cracks would be noticed long before the structure fell down.

I certainly hope so Bobby.

I’m going to send this article off to our neighbour who is an experienced structural engineer (he works both privately as well as for a govt agency).

I’ll let you know what he says.

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If I let myself be bought then I am no longer free.

HYPATIA - Greek philosopher, mathematician and astronomer (370 - 415)

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UnSubRocky

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Re: Older Car Parks Could Collapse Under EV's Weight?
Reply #11 - Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 10:16pm

Lisa Jones wrote on Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 9:17pm:

This topic is very important because it raises a major public health and safety issue.

Nevertheless, I fully expect the risks which have been identified to be completely ignored by multi storey car park owners/managers UNTIL some terrible accident occurs and innocent lives are needlessly lost. Such is my faith in people these days. 🥺😩

I think this topic was started in response to that news of the car park that collapsed somewhere in the world. NYC car park collapse.

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Bobby.

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Re: Older Car Parks Could Collapse Under EV's Weight?
Reply #12 - Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 10:18pm

Lisa Jones wrote on Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 10:01pm:

Bobby. wrote on Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 9:33pm:

Lisa Jones wrote on Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 9:17pm:

This topic is very important because it raises a major public health and safety issue.

Nevertheless, I fully expect the risks which have been identified to be completely ignored by multi storey car park owners/managers UNTIL some terrible accident occurs and innocent lives are needlessly lost. Such is my faith in people these days. 🥺😩

There would be a large safety margin in the designs for load bearing weight.

I would say that large cracks would be noticed long before the structure fell down.

I certainly hope so Bobby.

I’m going to send this article off to our neighbour who is an experienced structural engineer (he works both privately as well as for a govt agency).

I’ll let you know what he says.

Good - let's hear what he says?

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Lisa Jones

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Re: Older Car Parks Could Collapse Under EV's Weight?
Reply #13 - Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 11:00pm

Bobby. wrote on Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 10:18pm:

Lisa Jones wrote on Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 10:01pm:

Bobby. wrote on Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 9:33pm:

Lisa Jones wrote on Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 9:17pm:

This topic is very important because it raises a major public health and safety issue.

Nevertheless, I fully expect the risks which have been identified to be completely ignored by multi storey car park owners/managers UNTIL some terrible accident occurs and innocent lives are needlessly lost. Such is my faith in people these days. 🥺😩

There would be a large safety margin in the designs for load bearing weight.

I would say that large cracks would be noticed long before the structure fell down.

I certainly hope so Bobby.

I’m going to send this article off to our neighbour who is an experienced structural engineer (he works both privately as well as for a govt agency).

I’ll let you know what he says.

Good - let's hear what he says?

I’ve texted him the link to the article and I’ve asked him a few questions. He should know (as he’s signed off on a number of large scale civil engineering construction projects here in Sydney and yes he constantly complains about his exorbitant professional indemnity insurance premiums).

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If I let myself be bought then I am no longer free.

HYPATIA - Greek philosopher, mathematician and astronomer (370 - 415)

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Lisa Jones Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 39047 Sydney Gender:	Re: Older Car Parks Could Collapse Under EV's Weight? Reply #14 - Apr 22^nd, 2023 at 11:06pm Crikey I thought he may have been asleep. I was hoping to hear from him tomorrow morning. Ok let me see if I can take a screenshot of what he’s texting me. If not then I’ll have to copy and paste his stuff over here. Will that be ok Bobby?
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