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So many resources could be saved...
(discuss.tchncs.de)
This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
Cars are heavier with long noses because of crumple zones and stronger cabins that are exponentially safer for passengers than older cars. They're also far safer for pedestrians and bicyclists. Lotus makes cars that are impractical for any amount of cargo (you're not doing your grocery shopping in it) and their crash tests show they're far less safe for drivers and pedestrians. 50kW couldn't safely accelerate even a tiny 1 tonne vehicle onto any highway.
We are OK with sitting in our cars hours on end, day by day. That's where the problem starts..
Edit: my smaller car is 54 KW, I went on the highway with it. Doable. Not fun. High consumption.
For a lot of people, particularly in large, spread out countries there's no choice. Someone has to deliver freight, some people have to commute to work, etc.