Another way electric cars clean the air: study says brake dust reduced by 83%

Tire Wear: Causes and Scale of the Problem

• Multiple commenters challenge or support the claim that EV tire wear is only “slightly” higher; anecdotal reports range from similar to ~30–50% worse.
• Explanations offered: extra vehicle weight, higher cornering forces, and especially high instantaneous torque plus aggressive acceleration.
• Others argue driving style dominates: light EVs with modest power can still shred front tires if driven hard.
• Some suggest software limits and better traction control could reduce unnecessary wheel slip and thus tire wear.

Brake Dust and Regenerative Braking

• Broad agreement that EVs (and hybrids/PHEVs) produce much less brake dust because regenerative braking handles most deceleration, with friction brakes mostly used below ~5 mph or when regen is limited.
• Anecdotes: very long pad life; visibly cleaner wheels vs ICE cars; some EVs lightly auto-apply brakes periodically to prevent rust.
• Question raised why BEVs beat hybrids: answer given is BEVs have much higher regen power (limited by battery size/C‑rate), while hybrids’ small batteries cap regen at low kW.

Relative Toxicity: Brake Dust vs Tire Dust

• One quoted figure: ~>40% of brake dust becomes airborne vs ~1–5% of tire wear, so lower brake dust is a big win even if tire dust rises slightly.
• Others stress tire dust is still serious: microplastics and especially 6PPD/6PPD‑quinone toxicity to some fish and possible human exposure.
• Debate over priorities: some see microplastics as minor versus climate change; others argue ocean and aquatic toxicity can’t be dismissed.

Vehicle Weight, Road Wear, and Trucks

• Concerns raised that heavier EVs may accelerate road wear and require more braking when regen is insufficient.
• Counterpoint: road damage scales steeply with axle load; heavy trucks dominate wear, passenger cars (EV or ICE) are “almost negligible.”
• Example: some modern EVs are only modestly heavier than comparable ICE models when designed as EVs from scratch.

Urban Design, Alternatives, and “Cleaning the Air”

• Several see EVs as an incremental fix; the “real” solution is less car dependence via walking, cycling, and good public transit.
• Strong back-and-forth over density, suburbs, and lifestyle: some argue dense cities are “toxic” and tech (EVs, self‑driving) will enable dispersion; others counter that human social needs and amenities inherently drive urban density.
• Some note that e‑bikes/scooters capture many EV benefits with far less weight, space, and danger.
• Others quibble with the article’s framing: EVs don’t literally “clean” air; they just pollute less.