When it comes to electric vehicles, we’ve covered the struggles owners face with gaining approval for chargers, range anxiety, and wear on roads. But according to a new study, there’s another burden on infrastructure that has come to light. According to experts, multi-story car parks across the country could be at risk of collapse as heavier electric vehicles put pressure on aging infrastructure.
There are an estimated 6,000 multi-story car parks across the UK, many of which were built in the 1960s and 1970s. Concerns are growing that the increase in EV use combined with the crumbling parking infrastructure could lead to the collapse of these structures. Car park consultant and structural engineer Chris Whapples, the author of the new guidance, warns that the potential for some of the early car parks in poor condition to collapse cannot be ignored. He told The Telegraph: “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.”
New electric vehicles are much heavier than the average petrol or diesel car. The current Tesla Model 3, for example, weighs 1,672kgs, over twice as much as a 768kg Ford Cortina Mark 1. Many car parks had structural defects “baked in,” which have been exacerbated by years of underfunding in maintenance by some owners, according to Steve Holmes, senior technical manager at building supply firm Sika, who wrote a report on the issue. As things get heavier, and there are more of them parking on these structures as a proportion, then maintenance becomes ever more important.
Related: The Future Of Gas Stations: Converting To EV Charging Stations?
In an attempt to future-proof car parks, Whapples and Russell Simmons, chair of the British Parking Association’s structures group, have created new guidance that will recommend higher load-bearing weights to accommodate heavier vehicles. This guidance will advise that design loading limits for concrete floors in car parks be increased from 2.5 kilonewtons per square meter to 3 kilonewtons per square meter.
The British Parking Association said that while it was aware of the work being undertaken, there was no cause for alarm. Operators are now being advised to carry out load checks at their car parks by trade bodies, and car park managers will likely introduce weight limits if they are concerned about their ability to hold EVs. With an outright ban on the sale of non-EVs in the UK scheduled for 2030 and electric cars becoming more popular, car park operators and managers must remain vigilant and ensure their structures can accommodate these vehicles.
