Road damage is caused by a combination of factors. Vehicle weight is one big issue. So many SUV's are marketed and sold - many of which are never used as intended and many of which have single passenger journeys. The sheer amount of these vehicles on the road is evidenced every working day by traffic reports particularly during peak periods and during holidays and long weekends. The onset of EV's is another extention of more traffic. Yes, a Tesla passenger car may weigh less than an SUV but as for a Cybertruck or a fully electric semi trailer or a bus??
As for roads, many are substandard to cater for existing and more and heavier traffic - good design costs money and as money has been diverted to make EV's (amongst other 'green' things) road surface issues are not exactly the highest on the agenda. And whilst on design - consider the Sydney Harbour bridge - it was never designed or envisaged to carry the amount of daily traffic it does.
The powers to be also rather put more trucks on the road than to build more rail infrastructure - and there are cases where rail infrastructure has actually been 'derailed' in preference to alleged 'more efficient' road transport - rather odd, as one single freight train could handle a load of 50 'B doubles' and take such road damage causing transport vehicles off the road.
Shortsightedness is a common trait in many areas when not all factors are considered - doubtful road damage is a consideration in all efficiency calculation matters. Pushing the problem on to other areas may be an efficient way to make one look good.
Of course there is also the issue of 'you need this and that' and 'two for one deals' are very common and engrained (correct spelling even if rare) - thanks to successful promotions of consumerism. There is a difference however between wants and need. Worth keeping in mind also that sellers not only want your business but need it to survive. The EV sales promoters as indeed an ICE sales teams know this well too.
Will more traffic help with to ease road congestion and assist to at least maintain roads from further deteriation as it seems car registrations seem to increase YoY??
As for country roads, many are even worse than in larger cities though possibly offset by less traffic - the surface on many are wearing tyres out quicker and with the bonus of higher noise generated within the vehicle. Cheaper to make such roads - let the car owner bear the cost of any increase in car maintenance.
As for oil causing potholes - that may be one cause, but that is not due to vehicle design but rather to lack of maintenance on the owner's part. But an owner of any vehicle cannot change poor vehicle design. What an owner can do is to make better choices. If the environment is such a consideration does one need such huge vehicles for daily work commute - could you possibly justify purchasing vehicles that weigh 7000lbs just for that look at me feeling?? AIMO
