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Re:Waymo doubles service area in Phoenix Metro by chroma on Friday May 05, 2023 @05:17PM (#35835257)
I'm suspicious of that paper. The largest source of non-exhaust emissions comes from brake pad wear[1] and EVs use brakes far less than combustion vehicles. Also the amount of particulate matter put into the air is highly dependent on vehicle speed. Densely populated areas have more traffic, which means cars drive slower and create less non-exhaust pollution.

And it's no longer true that EVs are heavier than comparable combustion vehicles. The Tesla Model 3 weighs 3,550-4,070lbs. The BMW 3 Series weighs 3,200–4,330lbs, though the lightest model is a two door convertible. While combustion vehicles don't carry heavy batteries, they do need exhaust systems, more complicated drivetrains, and bigger cooling systems. Also, more and more combustion vehicles are becoming hybrids to meet stricter emissions standards. That means adding weight for batteries, an electric motor, and a transmission that can handle both propulsion sources.

1. See figure 6 in this paper: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/12/2/190

Re:Waymo doubles service area in Phoenix Metro by jeffbee on Friday May 05, 2023 @05:30PM (#35835367)
As I understand it a large component of the particulate emissions from cars is resuspended road dust, so it doesn't really matter than an EV or hybrid has little of its on brake dust. The brake dust is already on the ground.
Re:Waymo doubles service area in Phoenix Metro by brewdad on Friday May 05, 2023 @07:38PM (#35836468)
But like CO2 emissions, the amount of brake dust available to be kicked up will decrease as more EVs take the road.
Re:Waymo doubles service area in Phoenix Metro by xnx on Saturday May 06, 2023 @02:34PM (#35844058)
This isn't even accounting for the efficiencies of an autonomous vehicle decelerating less by better anticipating/timing stoplights. I see so many human drivers keep accelerating into a yellow/red light instead of easing off the pedal so they can resume accelerating by the time it turns green.