Li Bin Says at 2026 World Internet Conference Forum That a 20% Increase in Vehicle Weight Causes 2.07 Times More Road Damage

On November 5, at the 2026 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit · Auto Night Talk forum, NIO founder, chairman, and CEO William Li and Geely Holding Group chairman Li Shufu shared the stage in dialogue. This was the two sides' first public dialogue since reaching a comprehensive strategic cooperation on battery charging and swapping on September 28. Speaking at the forum about vehicle weight, William Li said that some cars stack 120 kWh battery packs weighing 700 to 800 kilograms, and that 1.2 times the weight causes 2.07 times the damage to roads. This conclusion derives from the "fourth power rule" in road engineering, which states that road damage caused by a vehicle is proportional to the fourth power of axle load, and 1.2 to the fourth power is approximately 2.07. Li said NIO's battery packs generally weigh 400 to 500 kilograms. Lighter weight means the company must accept the constraints of smaller battery pack capacity and shorter range, and continue to seek solutions under this premise. On July 6, 2025, Li said in a livestream that heavier cars cause greater damage to roads, and that many countries levy taxes based on vehicle weight. The national standard "Energy Consumption Limits for Electric Vehicles Part 1: Passenger Cars" has been implemented since January 1, 2026. After the new standard takes effect, companies must carry out necessary technical upgrades for newly manufactured products. Taking a model of around 2 tonnes as an example, the new standard requires electricity consumption per 100 kilometers not to exceed 15.1 kWh. After technical upgrades, with battery capacity unchanged, the average driving range of electric vehicles increases by about 7%.