Car obesity: four-wheelers are getting heavier
Passenger cars have become heavier over the past ten years. Innovations can help.
Published on April 28, 2025
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Passenger cars have become 94 kilograms heavier on average over the past ten years. This is partly due to the fact that more cars with batteries are being added every year, which are relatively heavy. Newer cars are also becoming longer and wider on average. This has been reported by Statistics Netherlands (CBS).
At the beginning of 2025, a Dutch passenger car had an average weight of 1,254 kilograms. That is 94 kilograms more than the average weight of cars at the beginning of 2015.
More and more heavy cars with batteries
The fact that the average weight of new passenger cars is increasing is partly due to the growing share of electric and plug-in hybrid cars. These plug-in cars are, partly because of their batteries, heavier on average than gasoline cars.
Passenger cars are also getting bigger
Passenger cars are not only getting heavier, but also longer and wider. Cars from 2024 will be on average 5.0 percent longer than cars from 2016. Cars from 2024 will be on average 441 centimeters long, while cars from 2016 are on average 420 centimeters long.
Possibly more wear and tear
Heavier cars may cause more wear and tear on roads, but there are currently no reliable models to predict this accurately. If the trend toward heavier cars continues, it will be important to investigate the consequences for infrastructure in order to avoid unexpected costs.
The search for lighter cars
The search for lighter cars has already led to many innovations and new research. Solid-state batteries offer a possible solution. These batteries use a solid substance as an electrolyte instead of a liquid. Solid-state batteries are attractive because they are lighter and can store more energy than batteries with liquid electrolytes. This can increase a vehicle's range, reduce costs, and lower the weight of the car. Toyota, for example, is currently working with Panasonic on a solid-state battery.
Another approach is to use advanced materials, such as carbon fiber composites (carbon), in the construction of batteries. Previously, a team of scientists in South Korea developed a new type of anode made of thin carbon fiber paper with lithium, instead of heavy copper. Because carbon fiber is much lighter than copper, batteries become much lighter. This means that electric cars can also become lighter, allowing them to drive further and consume less energy.
