Whenever the drawbacks of electric vehicles are mentioned, weight is often high on the list. Electric cars are generally quite heavy: the average weight of a midsize car in the US is about 3,300 pounds, while the lightest version of the Tesla Model 3, for comparison, weighs a hefty 3,891 pounds.
This is mainly due to electric vehicles’ large battery packs. The battery pack in an electric car weighs around 1,200-1,700 lbs, significantly impacting the vehicle’s total curb weight. The weight of battery packs has been a headache for carmakers since electric vehicles first arrived on the market, and manufacturers are constantly looking for innovative solutions to slim them down.
These extreme curb weights aren’t just a problem for automakers. There have also been concerns about crashes between electric vehicles and pedestrians, cyclists, and even occupants of lighter vehicles. The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) has called for speed limits to be lowered due to the ever-increasing presence of heavy electric cars on the roads.
With the above in mind, let’s look at the weights of Tesla’s entire model range. For some additional context, we’re also adding the curb weight of a similarly sized ICE car.