CNBC: Growth in electric car sales will require changes to parking garages

London, 8 October (CTK/CNBC) – Driving is changing. Hybrids and all-electric cars are becoming commonplace around the world, and cars overall are growing in size and weight—not just electric vehicles, but those with combustion engines too. New designs and technologies have already created a range of challenges that will need to be addressed in the coming years, from the availability of charging points for electric vehicles to noise levels. One area that the spread of electric vehicles and larger cars will have a major impact on is parking garages, the CNBC news website reported.

Earlier this year, the London-based professional body for structural engineering, the Institution of Structural Engineers, published updated guidance on parking design. The extensive document covers all structures where cars can be parked, including multi-storey and underground garages and garages in residential and office buildings, and focuses on how they should be designed, built and maintained.

One serious issue is the weight of cars. According to the Institution, the average car now weighs two tonnes, up from 1.5 tonnes in 1974. It attributes this to batteries in electric and hybrid vehicles and growing interest in larger cars overall. This additional load and changing fire-safety requirements are factors that need to be taken into account not only in new car parks but also in existing ones.