Electric cars produce less brake dust pollution than combustion-engine cars

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Tire Wear on EVs vs ICE Cars

  • Many anecdotes of rapid EV tire wear (10–20k miles), especially on Teslas, Kia/Hyundai EVs, and some Niro/EV6/EV9 models; others report 30–70k miles or more, even on performance EVs.
  • Proposed causes: higher vehicle mass, instant torque, “sporty” large rims with low-profile, soft-compound OEM tires, and aggressive driving (hard launches, fast cornering).
  • Several people point to poor factory alignment/camber (notably on some Teslas, some FWD crossovers) and lack of tire rotation. Others blame low-rolling-resistance or shallow-tread “eco” tires.
  • Counterpoint: many EV owners say tire life is normal or better than past ICE cars; suggest bad tires, alignment faults, or driving style when sets die at 10k miles.

Brake Dust and Regenerative Braking

  • Consensus that EVs and strong hybrids use friction brakes far less due to regenerative braking.
  • Multiple stories of pads lasting 50k–250k miles; some hybrids/EVs still on original pads after a decade.
  • Some report brake rotors rusting from disuse; manufacturers sometimes deliberately engage friction brakes (or disable regen briefly) to keep discs clean.
  • Discussion of blending strategies: many EVs map regen into the brake pedal; some (notably Tesla) rely on accelerator lift-off and use friction only at low speed or high SOC.

Net Particulate Emissions (Brakes, Tires, Road)

  • Commenters quote the article’s figure: even adding tire, brake, and road wear, BEVs emit ~38% less particulate pollution than ICE cars before counting tailpipe emissions.
  • Skeptics emphasize heavier EV weight (10–20% more than comparable ICE) and suggest tire particles and road wear may scale worse than linearly with mass. Others note delivery trucks for gasoline also damage roads.
  • Some worry about tire microplastics and black carbon, but several argue EVs are still much cleaner overall than ICE vehicles.

Hybrids, Engine Braking, and Comparisons

  • Hybrids are noted to get similar brake benefits from regen; some see essentially no pad wear on Prius/Yaris/Volvo PHEVs.
  • ICE drivers discuss engine braking and careful driving extending pad life, but others point out clutches and drivetrains then take some of that load.

Infrastructure, Policy, and Equity

  • Strong advocacy for banning ICE cars in cities vs. others favoring carbon pricing or incentives over bans.
  • Major concern from renters and urban dwellers with no home charging: retrofitting garages, street chargers, and grid upgrades is seen as expensive and logistically hard.
  • Some argue resources should prioritize public transit, cycling, and fewer cars overall; EVs alone don’t solve congestion, safety, or land-use issues.