[learc83]

It's all relative. You could build something that weighed 100kg, so anything heavier is a waste of energy if we only look at ability to go from point A to point B.

But it would be a death trap to drive around other 2000kg vehicles, and it wouldn't be comfortable.

>5Km commute

Almost no one in the US has a commute that short.

[close04]

99% of the people could do with a sub-compact 99% of the time as seen everywhere else in the world. Are the only 2 options you see a 100Kg dingy or a 2500Kg fat-mobile? It's like saying you can't have electric cars because how far can they go on 2 AA batteries.

If that's a death trap around the "real" vehicles, should cyclists and pedestrians expect 90% mortality rate should they ever decide to go out on the streets? Is that normal?

> Almost no one in the US has a commute that short.

It's all relative. You just multiply that (avoidable) waste.

Do you really need to drive a "tank" just to survive? https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21609767

[learc83]

I'm sure more people could live with a subcompact car than currently do, but it's nowhere near 99%. I can drive a subcompact but they aren't made for tall drivers and anything more than 20 minutes or so hurts my knee.

People with families who regularly take them out aren't going to fit in a subcompact particularly if anyone is tall or there are car seats.

You could design a very lightweight car that could hold 4-5 people comfortably with 1 or 2 carseats and fit tall drivers. But no one does--it's not really an option.

You could buy and maintain multiple vehicles for different purposes, but it's expensive especially when you consider the additional insurance.

>100Kg dingy or a 2500Kg fat-mobile?

No obviously not, I'm saying that 2600kg vs 2300kg is basically irrelevant. And that when you say 2300kg is a waste of energy that statement only makes sense in the context of specific design goals.

>If that's a death trap around the "real" vehicles, should cyclists and pedestrians expect 90% mortality rate

No but motorcycles have an almost 30x higher fatality rate per mile driven than cars do, so I'd call that a death trap.

It's a prisoners dilemma. Everyone else is driving 2000kg+ cars. To make very lightweight vehicles that are safe around those huge vehicles it's very expensive. The solution is regulation, not begging individuals to drive smaller cars.

[Marsymars]

I find there's only a tenuous relationship between overall car size and space for tall drivers. e.g. a Nissan Leaf has about the same leg and head room as a Subaru Ascent.