Unbearable lightness? To make cars frugal, they will have to become lighter-and more expensive

摘要

WHEN IT COMES to motor vehicles there is widespread belief-at least in America-that bigger is not only better, but safer too. The assumption is that nothing beats having lots of steel around you in a crash. And it is true, to some extent. All things being equal, the driver of a large SUV (sports-utility vehicle) is less likely to be killed than the driver of a small car in a head-on collision between the two.