Tyler Roh, '27
Most students in today’s world drive cars to school or take the bus. But what if there was a vehicle that embodied the characteristics of both? What about a tank? Tanks are seldom seen on the road due to their size, metal structure, and the fact they are killing machines. However, today we are going to take a deep dive into whether or not the tank should become a main mode of transport for students across the country rather than being bound by its original purpose: to destroy things. Are they, in fact, a viable alternative to the “normal” modes of transport? Below, we consider gas mileage, initial costs, survivability, comfortability, and speed. For the comparison, we will use both a 2024 Honda Civic and a 2024 Ford-150 alongside two tanks: a Cold War 1980 M1 Abrams, and a WW2 1942 M4 Sherman.
MILEAGE
The 2024 Honda Civic’s gas mileage clocks in at 33 mpg (miles per gallon). This is an exceptional number for any car of the matter, which makes it hard for the tanks to compete with such a great mileage. A 2024 Ford-150 has a gas mileage of about 23 mpg, which is pretty decent as well, especially for a truck. With the cars looking great in terms of fuel and gas mileage, let’s take a look at the tanks.
The M1 Abrams features an AMAZING gas mileage of about 0.6 mpg. This is by far the worst gas mileage I’ve ever seen even on a tank. The M4 Sherman makes up for this with a beautiful 1.4 mpg. This doubles the Abrams’ mileage and about 1/24 as much as the Honda Civic. It is safe to say that if gas mileage is your deal breaker, a tank is not for you.
COST
A new Honda Civic is upwards about 30 grand when paid in full. This is a good price considering the previously mentioned gas mileage. A Ford-150 is upwards about 85 grand when paid in full. This is a somewhat ok price, but definitely not the ideal price tag for a first car, which is what many students who drive cars have (assuming they aren’t driving their parents’ cars to school). An M1 Abrams comes out to around 4.3 Million dollars per unit, not beginner-friendly in terms of price. An M4 Sherman cost about 45 thousand dollars. You might think this is a great price, however, this is what it cost back in 1945. So maybe your grandparents or great-grandparents should have jumped on the deal, but for you, it will come out to around 600 grand today. Inflation really snuck up on us, didn’t it? Clearly, in terms of cost, the cars win again.
SURVIVABILITY
Now we are entering the tank zone. When it comes to survivability, you are most definitely going to want to pick the tank. If you get into a car accident, and you are in a Honda Civic, the potential physical consequences to both you and the vehicle are high. However, if you are in a tank in the same scenario, you better pray that the other guy is alive. A Toyota would get absolutely demolished by an Abrams or a Sherman tank. No car stands a chance. Now, in a Ford-150 you are likely to suffer less damage than a Civic, but you still can’t compare it to a tank. One of the only downsides is if you somehow manage to flip over in your tank. Considering your tank is many tons heavier than the car you are crashing into, this is unlikely to happen. If it did, you might be in a bit of a pickle, as there is no escape hatch. That being said, a tank is easy to spot on the road, so you would probably be saved in a matter of hours.
COMFORTABILITY
Cars are always going to be more comfortable in terms of leg room, breathing room, and of course seat material. Both Civics and the Ford-150 come with leather seats. The seats in both cars also recline, which is good for some relaxation time when needed. In the Abrams, the driver’s seat is permanently reclined. You also literally get little to no space, and you are confined to only being able to look through your sights. However, one could argue that the reclined position is comfortable. In a Sherman, you are sitting in a normal seat with slight cushioning, but overall it’s comparable to one of those metal folding seats.
TRANSPORTATION TIME
The maximum speed for a Honda Civic is 137 mph. The top speed for a Ford-150 is about 124 mph. While both vehicles have the potential for fast speeds, the speed limit is no higher than 70 mph in Tennessee. Assuming you are going 40 mph driving from the Batman building in downtown Nashville to Ensworth Frist Campus, it will take you about 22 minutes of travel time with either car. The M1 Abrams’ top speed is actually 45 mph, taking you about the same amount of time. For the M4 Sherman, its top speed is 29 mph, leading to a roughly 30 commute. This is considerably slower than the other vehicles, but I wouldn’t be surprised if other cars in traffic move over to the side to take pictures of your tank, meaning you won’t have to worry about traffic as much. And as for the Abrams, the same thing could apply, considering they might think you are a military convoy! Undoubtedly, traffic won’t be a problem for you if you are driving a tank.
In conclusion, if you are thinking about alternatives to cars, then a tank might be for you! It has great survivability, it can commute just as fast as a car on normal neighborhood roads, and it is certainly an attention grabber! However, if you are on a tighter budget, then I would stick to normal modes of transportation.
Comments