Sorry, kids, I wanted to have the biggest one...

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By Célia Foulon - Consultant

Sorry, kids, I’ve undermined your right to clean air, a healthy planet, and a life of dignity—because, honestly, I just had to have the biggest one. Yes, the biggest car. Bigger than the neighbor’s. Not much of an excuse, is it? And yet, that’s what the vast majority of us might have to admit to our children in the years to come.

But how is owning a large car (say, an SUV) bad for the environment?

First of all, it goes without saying, but A large car weighs more than a city car Of course, but also heavier than a family sedan like the VW Golf. In the vast majority of cases, an SUV weighs more than 1.5 metric tons (and up to 2.5 metric tons for the Porsche Cayenne), compared with about 1.3 metric tons for family sedans such as the VW Golf VI (up to 2018). ^[1][2] Furthermore, since SUVs are tall and bulky, they are not aerodynamic at all. Two factors that lead to higher fuel consumption compared to a lighter, more aerodynamic car. Excessive fuel consumption leads to excessive greenhouse gas emissions. According to the ICCT ^[1], in 2017, SUVs emitted an average of 130gCO2/km (sports and luxury cars: 165gCO2/km!), compared to about 110gCO2/km for smaller cars. And that’s still according to the NEDC protocol, which has now been consigned to the dustbin of history because it’s completely unrepresentative of real-world driving conditions: add between 25 and 40% to these figures to get a more accurate picture. Electric cars are no exception to this logic, because a lighter car is always better for the environment! In fact, a lightweight electric car requires fewer materials, less power, and lower energy consumption, and soa battery with a lower capacity that uses less lithium and cobalt. Electric vehicles will always be more environmentally friendly if they are used in cars that are as light as possible. It’s also worth noting that SUVs take up a significant amount of road space, which is a major nuisance in urban areas. Used almost exclusively to transport a single person(2 metric tons are needed to move 75 kg, Hmm, hmm), large vehicles such as SUVs take up a considerable amount of space on the road, spill out of parking spaces onto sidewalks or bike lanes, frighten pedestrians, cyclists, intimidate drivers of smaller vehicles, and, due to their width, prevent scooters and bicycles from weaving through traffic jams. Today, as the ICCT points out in its annual reports on the automotive market ^[1][2], SUVs account for about one-third of new vehicle sales in Europe (and six times as many as just 15 years ago), and nearly 70% of sales in the United States. Despite the impressive technical advances made by automakers to reduce vehicle emissions, The increase in the weight of cars is preventing a reduction in CO2 emissions from the automotive sector.But why are SUVs so popular? It has always been this way, as can be seen in advertisements, Cars are a reflection of social success ; especially for men, They are the very embodiment of power and masculinity. So there's no way I'd ever own a small car—or, let's say, a reasonably sized car: On the road, you have to show your strength, “take charge,” and be “a dominant male” (These words are taken directly from the recent advertisement for the BMW X6 SUV.) ^[4] Marketers have been hammering this message home for years: owning a big car means you’re a strong man who has achieved social success. It’s no wonder that SUVs and other large cars are so popular today, especially among men (80% of SUV drivers are men). ^[5]

So it is the entire social imagination that needs to be reinvented. Can we all agree that owning a big car isn't a sign of social success and power, but rather of selfishness and the destruction of the future? For example, can we recognize executives who give up their large cars—despite their need to maintain a certain image—in favor of smaller cars (or even bicycles—let’s dream a little!)? Can we ask manufacturers in this sector to stop polluting our minds and our desires with advertisements that systematically promote large cars? And perhaps also—and above all—as drivers, whether men or women, can we, when faced with a consumer choice like buying a car, stop considering two things:

• that the choice must necessarily be based on the most "critical" case, namely going on vacation with children and luggage, whereas This generally accounts for less than 10% of annual usage ;
• that a compact sedan (such as a VW Golf, Peugeot 308, or Renault Mégane) is too small and no longer meets a family’s “needs”: Were we less overweight 30 years ago, when these cars were perfectly adequate to meet that need, even though they were 15% narrower and 40% lighter than they are today?

Bills have been proposed but have not been passed at this stage, particularly those aimed at banning advertisements for SUVs (especially SUVs described as “urban,” which is, after all, the most ridiculous thing anyone could say on the subject), or to set a penalty based on the weight of the vehicle purchased. ^[6][7] In any case, public awareness and regulations are moving far too slowly given the urgency of the climate crisis. Let’s keep in mind that a car has a lifespan of about ten years: the SUVs hitting the market today are therefore setting us on an undesirable path for the next 10 years!

So, if you're buying a new car, think about yourself, think about your children, think about pedestrians, cyclists, and other road users: choose a lightweight car. And Be proud of it! Article written by Célia Foulon - Consultant

Sources:^[1]ICCT, European Vehicle Market Statistics (2018/19)^[2]France Strategy^[3]Crashing the Climate^[4]Advertisement for the BMW X6^[5] (Excellent) "Men and Cars" Podcast^[6]The enerGeek^[7]Nextinpact Illustration: Vidberg Also: an article from The Guardian explaining why SUVs are more dangerous than small cars, both for drivers and pedestrians: The Guardian