Have you ever noticed that many new energy vehicles among domestic cars are becoming increasingly larger and heavier?

Take, for instance, some Series 9 cars, which boast lengths exceeding 5.2 meters, widths over 2 meters, and weights tipping the scales at over 3 tons. Such dimensions would have been unthinkable in the age of gasoline-powered vehicles.

Navigating these behemoths on narrow roads is challenging enough, but parking them in compact underground lots is an even greater ordeal. It's not uncommon to see these large cars occupying two parking spaces simply because one just won't suffice.

What's behind this trend? It can be traced back to the standards governing domestic parking spaces.

The current "Code for Design of Garage Buildings," implemented in 2015, stipulates that small car parking spaces should have a minimum clear width of 2.4 meters and a clear length of 5.1 meters. These standards were set during the gasoline-powered car era.

Back then, except for a few large cars from luxury brands, most vehicles were less than 1.8 meters wide and under 5 meters long. This allowed for a comfortable 30 cm clearance on each side for door opening, and the length was more than adequate.

However, times have changed. Especially with new energy vehicles, the quest for increased range has led to the stacking of large batteries, resulting in cars that are both larger and wider. Many Series 9 flagship 7-seaters now exceed 5.2 meters in length and 2 meters in width.

Yet, the parking space standards remain unchanged, stuck at 5.1 meters in length and 2.4 meters in width. Can these diminutive parking spaces really accommodate today's oversized cars?

To make matters worse, some developers, in their pursuit of maximizing profits, resort to extreme measures when marking underground parking spaces. They adhere strictly to the minimum standards, and in some cases, even secretly reduce them to as narrow as 2.2 meters or 2 meters.

Parking these large cars in such cramped spaces is a daunting task.

In the past, only a select few could afford such large cars, as they were the preserve of the wealthy. But now, these behemoths are becoming more accessible, with models like the Xiaomi N90 Max available for less than 300,000 yuan.

It's foreseeable that as large cars become more prevalent and parking spaces not only fail to keep pace but actually shrink, parking could become a major headache. Incidents of "door-opening" scratches are also likely to rise.

Fortunately, relevant authorities have recognized this issue and are exploring ways to improve parking space standards. After all, standards set more than a decade ago need to be updated to reflect current realities.

Some cities have already launched pilot programs, but existing parking spaces cannot be retroactively re-marked. Therefore, friends considering purchasing large cars should first assess whether their home parking spaces can accommodate them; otherwise, they may face a host of problems post-purchase.

Some friends also point out that, fortunately, most of these large cars now come equipped with automatic parking functions. This allows them to park and exit automatically, sparing drivers the ordeal of squeezing through a mere 10 cm gap, which would only exacerbate the already troublesome situation.