Parking Garage Live Loads with EVs

Question

I’m writing to inquire about the live load minimums in ASCE 7 for parking garage structures in light of electric vehicle weights. With the EV demand appearing to not slow down, is ASCE reviewing any impact the EV industry may have on the current parking garage design live load minimums. Recently the NTSB head discussed potential risks of heavier EVs colliding with lighter cars (https://www.npr.org/2023/01/11/1148483758/ntsb-heavy-electric-vehicles-safety-risks) on the roadways. On a similar note, should parking garage owners and engineers involved with the design and repair of parking garage structures be made of aware of any potential concerns regarding EVs accessing existing parking garage structures that have been designed for current and previous Code minimums while EV weights appear to be trending much larger than existing average vehicle weights?

Answer

John-  The ASCE 7 committee has not done serious evaluation of garage loading requirements since 2002 when the load was reduced from 50 psf to 40 psf.  However, Cole Graveen who heads the ASCE 7 Live Loads Subcommittee indicates that he has received a number of questions of this type recently, and he plans to have the committee review garage loads in the ASCE 7-28 cycle, which is just starting.

Peer-to-Peer Standards Exchange