Wheels: EV heavy weights

American’s waistbands have been increasing over the years, and for electric vehicles, the struggle is real. While all vehicles carry a certain amount of heft, the batteries in EVs brings that bulk to a new level. While electric motors are compact and simple, their power supply is heavy and huge if you want to cover any distance using existing technology.

Battery weight is partly the driver for current EV designs that utilize a “skateboard,” or chassis made up of the batteries, motors, tires, suspension and brakes in a long flat configuration allowing for different bodies to be assembled on the same frames but also keeping weight and center of gravity low to aid in handling.