The US gov’t is finally doing something about giant pedestrian-killing SUVs
After a decade and a half rise in pedestrian deaths, the US government is finally starting to take some action to stop huge pedestrian-killing SUVs.
Cars have been getting safer and safer over time, but the same has not applied to pedestrian safety.
While theoretically many of the safety improvements on cars ought to help protect those outside the car (emergency braking, crumple zones, etc), statistics have shown this has not been the case. Currently, pedestrian deaths are at a 40-year high in the US.
There are multiple culprits here, including insufficient infrastructure for non-car road users (cyclists, pedestrians, etc.), and distracted driving due to the suffusion of technology into our lives.
But most of all, the culprit is gigantic vehicles. And vehicle sizes have ballooned for multiple reasons in recent years, both due to automaker profits and consumer preference (which are in turn led by automakers who preferentially advertise larger or more polluting vehicles), and a perception of safety despite the significant danger that huge vehicles bring to the road.
It’s gotten so bad that even Jim Farley, CEO of Ford – which sells the F150, the most popular large vehicle in the US (and one of the deadliest) – said that America needs to “get back in love with smaller vehicles.”
But one of the less-talked-about reasons that vehicles keep getting bigger is the matter of government regulations that create a perverse incentive to increase vehicle size, like the EPA’s so-called “footprint rule” and various other credits or incentives for large vehicles.
Thankfully, the US government seems to have noticed its part in creating this problem, and is finally signaling that its ready for a change.
NHTSA, EPA make moves to reduce vehicle size
The latest move in this respect comes from the NHTSA, which published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) this week which brings pedestrian deaths into focus.
The NHTSA is a government agency, part of the Department of Transportation, which among other things is responsible for automobile crash safety testing.
While most of its safety tests focus on the safety of car occupants, NHTSA wants to add a new test focused specifically on reducing the danger of pedestrian head-to-hood impact – both adults and children.
One problem with giant SUVs and pickups is that their high, blunt front ends tend to result in impacts with pedestrian torsos, rather than the legs. A torso hit will tend to send a pedestrian onto the ground, rather than onto the hood of the vehicle – and vehicle hoods tend to be softer than asphalt, and less likely to result in the pedestrian being run over by a vehicle.
This is why pedestrian safety regulations focus on the height of the bumper – something that has not been a significant part of US safety regulations before now. But this new NHTSA rule would seek to change that, and to harmonize US rules with “Global Technical Regulation No 9,” an international safety standard which would also have the benefit of making US cars more interoperable between territories. This rule harmonization process was part of Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Not only are huge vehicles dangerous for pedestrians, they also create more pollution. After all, a recent analysis showed that emissions could have dropped 30%, but SUVs ruined it for everyone.
Part of the reason for this is because the EPA gives some leeway to larger vehicles, allowing them to be slightly less efficient than smaller vehicles.
While that is still the case, EPA signaled it’s interested in changing that recently. In the most recent final emissions standards, EPA included one line that we here at Electrek noticed and were thrilled by: “EPA is finalizing the proposed approach to flatten the slope of each footprint standards curve and to narrow the numerical stringency difference between the car and truck curves.”
Essentially, this means that EPA is going to reduce the amount of “extra credit” they give to SUVs, which means that automakers won’t have as much incentive to go bigger. While it’s a minor change and will take a while to settle and affect vehicle designs, it at least shows that the EPA acknowledges its part in the mistake, and that it intends to improve the situation.
Electrek’s Take
The situation in the US is really desperate. In a time of so much focus on car safety, the fact that pedestrian deaths have risen so sharply is unacceptable.
But it’s not just about pedestrian deaths, but the absolute unavailability of reasonable vehicles in this country.
Virtually everything available today is a huge SUV. And this applies to EVs as well – while in the early days of EVs there were a lot of small hatchbacks available, now almost everything is an SUV. Some of them are smaller-sized (though the most reasonably-sized one was stopped by ill-considered tariffs), and there are a few sedans like the Ioniq 6 and Model 3. But it feels like almost all the new EVs coming out this year are giant three–row SUVs (and, uh, whatever this is).
Even the electric trucks that are coming out are far too big – meanwhile, the Ford Maverick, a small(-er…-ish) truck is flying off the shelves. Imagine how well an EV Maverick could do.
But rule changes like this give us some hope. Not only has the government finally realized the gravity of the huge-car situation, but it certainly feels like there’s some societal pushback against enormous cars brewing.
For example, when Rivian, a company not known for its large-car shyness, revealed its much-anticipated R2, it followed with the surprise R3, a likely Golf-ish-sized hatchback… and promptly received much more excitement, by our measure, for the hot hatch than for the mid-size SUV.
It just feels like it’s getting to be that time again, when we’ve finally reached the point of too much, and we might rebound and see the pendulum swing back towards some normal-sized vehicles again.
Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but we sure hope so.
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Believe it or not, you can lease an EV for under $200 a month. New deals on models like the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 and Kia EV6 are hard to pass up this month.
Electric vehicles have been all over the news lately, with the Trump administration threatening to end federal incentives and introducing new tariffs that are expected to lead to higher prices.
On the positive side, new EV models are arriving, giving buyers more options and driving prices down. Many automakers reported record US electric car sales in the first three months of 2024.
GM remained the number two seller of EVs behind Tesla after sales doubled in Q1 2025. With the new Equinox, Blazer, and Silverado EVs rolling out, Chevy is now the fastest-growing EV brand in the US. Ford’s Mustang Mach-E is off to its best sales start since launching, with over 11,600 models sold in the first quarter.
With the 2025 models rolling out and about 15 new EVs arriving this year, many automakers are introducing steep discounts to move vehicles off the lot.
EVs for lease for under $200 a month in April
Although the decade-old Nissan LEAF remains one of the most affordable this April at just $149 per month, there are a few EVs under $200 right now that are worth taking a look at.
The new 2025 Hyundai IONIQ might be the best EV deal this month, with leases as low as $199. Hyundai is currently promoting a 24-month lease deal with $3,999 due at signing.
Hyundai upgraded the electric SUV with a bigger battery for more range (now up to 318 miles), a sleek new look inside and out, and it now comes with an NACS port so you can charge it at Tesla Superchargers.
The offer is for the IONIQ 5 SE RWD Standard Range, which has a driving range of up to 245 miles. For just $229 a month, you can snag the SE RWD model, which has a range of up to 318 miles and a more powerful (225 horsepower) electric motor. It’s also a 24-month lease with $3,999 due at signing.
To sweeten the deal, Hyundai is offering a free ChargePoint Home Flex Level 2 EV charger with the purchase or lease of any 2024 or 2025 IONIQ 5. If you already have one, you can opt for a $400 public charging credit.
After slashing lease prices this month, the 2025 Nissan Ariya is actually cheaper than the LEAF in some regions. In Southern California, the 2025 Nissan Ariya Evolve AWD is listed at just $129 per month. The AWD model has a range of up to 272 miles.
The deal is for 36 months, with $4,409 due at signing. In April, Nissan cut Ariya lease prices to around $239 in most other parts of the country.
Kia has a few EVs available to lease for under $200 a month in April. The 2025 Kia Niro EV Wind is listed at just $129 for 24 months, with $3,999 due at signing. Kia’s crossover SUV has EPA-estimated range of 253 miles.
The 2024 EV6 may be worth considering at just $179 for 24 months ($3,999 due at signing). In California, the EV6 Light Long Range RWD is only slightly more than the Niro Wind.
In most other parts of the country, you can still find the EV6 for under $200 a month. The Light Long Range RWD trim offers up to 310 miles of EPA-estimated range.
| Lease Price | Term (months) |
Amount Due at Signing | Driving Range | |
| 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 SE RWD Standard Range | $199 | 24 | $3,999 | 245 miles |
| 2024 Kia EV6 Light Long Rang RWD | $179 | 24 | $3,999 | 310 miles |
| 2024 Kia Niro EV Wind | $129 | 24 | $3,999 | 253 miles |
| 2025 Nissan Ariya Evolve AWD | $129 | 36 | $4,409 | 272 miles |
| 2025 Nissan LEAF S FWD | $149 | 36 | $2,629 | 149 miles |
| 2024 Fiat 500 INSPI(RED) | $199 | 24 | $2,999 | 149 miles |
And don’t forget the 2024 Fiat 500e, which is now listed at just $199 for 24 months with $2,999 due at signing. The electric hatchback offers a range of up to 149 miles.
If you are looking to spend a little more, check out our list of EVs you can lease for under $300 a month.
Ready to snag the savings while they are still here? At under $200 a month, some of these EV lease deals are hard to pass up right now. Check out our links below to find deals in your area.
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![The US’s first solar panels over canals pilot is now online [video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Project-Nexus-solar-canal.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
Project Nexus, the first solar panel canopies over irrigation canals in the US, is now online in California, and there are plans to expand the project to other areas.
Project Nexus is a $20 million pilot in central California’s Turlock Irrigation District launched in October 2022. The project team is exploring solar over canal design, deployment, and co-benefits using canal infrastructure and the electrical grid.
India already has solar panels over canals, but Project Nexus is the first of its kind in the US.
The Turlock Irrigation District was the first irrigation district formed in California in 1887. It provides irrigation water to 4,700 growers who farm around 150,000 acres in the San Joaquin Valley.
Project Nexus will explore whether the solar panels reduce water evaporation as a result of midday shade and wind mitigation, create improvements to water quality through reduced vegetative growth, reduce canal maintenance as a result of reduced vegetative growth, and, of course, generate renewable electricity.
The California Department of Water Resources, utility company Turlock Irrigation District, Marin County, California-based water and energy project developer Solar AquaGrid, and The University of California, Merced, are partnering on the pilot. Project Nexus originated from a 2021 research project led by UC Merced alumna and project scientist Brandi McKuin.
Solar panels were installed at two sites over both wide- and narrow-span sections of Turlock Irrigation District canals in Stanislaus County, in various orientations. The sections range from 20 feet wide to 100 feet wide. University of California, Merced has positioned research equipment at both sites to collect baseline data so the researchers can decide where solar will work and where it won’t.
In February 2023, Project Nexus announced it would also deploy long-term iron flow battery storage in the form of two ESS 75kW turnkey “Energy Warehouse” batteries.
You can learn more about Project Nexus here:
Read more: In a US first, California will pilot solar-panel canopies over canals
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