Study: Cars are growing 1 centimeter wider every two years.

New cars in Europe are getting 1 cm wider every two years, according to research by Transport & Environment (T&E). The trend is expected to continue due to the rising sales of SUVs, with around half of new cars sold already being too wide for the minimum on-street parking space in many countries. Paris could be the first major European capital to tackle this trend if citizens endorse higher parking charges for SUVs in a referendum next month. The average width of new cars expanded to 180.3 cm in the first half of 2023, up from 177.8 cm in 2018, according to T&E research. The EU's maximum width for cars is 255 cm, which is the same as buses and trucks.

James Nix, Vehicles Policy Manager at T&E, said that the trend will continue until stricter limits are set. Currently, the law allows new cars to be as wide as trucks, leading to big SUVs and American-style pick-up trucks parking on footpaths and endangering pedestrians, cyclists, and everyone else on the road. In 2023, 52% of vehicles sold were too wide for the minimum specified on-street parking space in major cities, including London, Paris, and Rome. Off-street parking is now a tight squeeze even for the average new car, while large luxury SUVs no longer fit.

The trend towards wider vehicles is reducing road space available for other vehicles and cyclists, while parked cars are further encroaching on footpaths. Wider designs have also enabled the height of vehicles to be further raised, despite crash data showing a 10 cm increase in vehicle front height carries a 30% higher risk of fatalities in collisions with pedestrians and cyclists.

The Clean Cities Campaign warns that monster SUVs pose a threat to urban spaces, taking away public space. They urge Parisians to lead the way in opposing these dangerous vehicles. T&E suggests EU lawmakers should review the maximum width of new cars and set parking charges and tolls based on vehicle size and weight. This would ensure that large luxury SUVs and pick-ups pay more for using more space, promoting a cleaner, brighter, and greener future.