UK Car Parks at Risk from Hefty Electric Vehicles
Experts warn the surge in electric vehicle (EV) use could send some UK car parks buckling under pressure. Many ageing structures, especially those built in the 60s and 70s, weren’t designed for today’s much heavier EVs.
Weight Limits Set to Rise Amid Safety Fears
New guidelines are in the pipeline to up the weight limits car park floors must support. Chris Whapples, a structural engineer and author of the new rules, told The Telegraph, “I don’t want to be too alarmist, but there is definitely the potential for some of the early car parks in poor condition to collapse.”
He urged operators to “assess their lots for strength and decide if weight restrictions are necessary.”
EVs Tower Over Old Petrol Cars
- Modern EVs can tip the scales at over 2,300kg thanks mainly to hefty 500kg batteries.
- Compare this to classic cars like the 1970s Ford Cortina at just 768kg or the Vauxhall Viva at 770kg.
- Even a Tesla Model 3 weighs 1,672kg, far heavier than most petrol cars from decades ago.
This enormous weight difference means car parks from earlier eras are facing unprecedented stress.
Industry Scrambles to Future-Proof Car Parks
With the government pushing the Zero Emissions Vehicle Mandate and banning non-EVs sales by 2030, EVs will dominate roads soon. Industry pros say underfunded car parks are already showing cracks.
Steve Holmes from building firm Sika said, “As things get heavier and EVs take up more space, keeping car parks maintained is more crucial than ever.”
The new guidance proposes raising design load limits for concrete floors from 2.5 to 3 kilonewtons per square metre. Trade bodies are advising operators to start load testing their facilities now.
Russell Simmons of the British Parking Association revealed, “Inspections show some car parks can’t handle the weight of newer EVs.”
Some sites might soon impose weight limits, with Whapples suggesting, “We already have height restrictions — why not weight limits too?”
Meanwhile, National Car Parks (NCP) is already adapting by placing EV chargers on ground floors and widening bays to spread weight.
For many UK drivers, the charging setup—not car park strength—remains the biggest hurdle. But with thousands of ageing multi-storey car parks nationwide, the pressure is mounting to shore up these forgotten structures before they crack under the weight of Britain’s EV revolution.
