Does Philly have more doors or wheels? | Morning Newsletter

We’ll see some possible precipitation with highs reaching only the mid-50s today. That warm-up? It’s expected to return tomorrow and through the weekend.

There’s a viral debate going on via social media currently of whether or not there are more doors or wheels in the world. So naturally, we wanted to ask the same question – but in Philly – and we enlisted some experts to help us out.

Also, with gas prices still trending over $4 a gallon, people are resorting to electric options to get around. Unsurprisingly, there’s a shortage.

If you see this 🔒 in today’s newsletter, that means we’re highlighting our exclusive journalism. You need to be a subscriber to read these stories.

— Kerith Gabriel (@sprtswtr, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

It’s the kind of debate that questions why one would even care while still yearning to know if there’s a definitive answer.

Today, there’s a new debate that rises to the same level of silly: Are there more doors or wheels in the world? In an unscientific vote based on a tweet, over 200,000 people responded: 46.4% went for doors, while 53.6 saluted wheels.

With that said, we decided to seek out the answer but with a Philly twist – asking the same question to a collective of area experts. In fact, in the case of SEPTA, we actually got an answer when it comes to the number of doors and wheels in its suite of buses and trains.

Andrew Busch, a spokesperson for the transit authority, got right down to the details: Each train car has eight wheels. There are six side doorways. But each doorway has two sliding doors. Cars also include a door on either end, and a door to get into the operator’s compartment.

That makes 15 doors in one car. Because there are 600 SEPTA train cars, we wind up with around 9,000 doors and 4,800 wheels.

As for buses, there are 1,400 of those, each with six wheels and two doors, making for 2,800 doors and 8,400 wheels. And each of 60 trolleys has two doors and eight wheels, totaling 120 doors and 480 wheels.

So, in the SEPTA universe, wheels trump doors, 13,680 to 11,920.

Our reporter Al Lubrano unpacks more doors-vs.-wheels quandaries in this lighthearted piece that should offer a nice respite from the usual programming.

High gas prices have increased the demand for electric vehicles. But it’s going to be a bit of a wait as EV supplies were already tight before the Russian invasion of Ukraine created a fuel surge.

Wait times for a Tesla? Certain models vary anywhere from two to 10 months. Volkswagen still has a number of options available, but its suppliers have been directly impacted by the war.

Also, experts say all of this demand is expected to create a surge in car prices too. But the question now is have all of those people feverishly looking really weighed the economic factors of owning an EV?

“Unfortunately, making an EV purchase is not particularly easy to do right now amid inventory shortages, and price-sensitive consumers most affected by gas price hikes will likely find that making the switch is also a bit out of financial reach due to the premiums that these vehicles command,” said Jessica Caldwell, executive director of insights for the everything automotive website edmunds.com.

Our reporter Scott Sturgis takes a look at the mad dash to get an EV and how long it’s expected to last.

We’re taking a trip to Ardmore today, the little Main Line town about 10 miles west of the city that’s worth spending a day in. But before it was called “Ardmore,” the town had another name. Do you know? Take a guess and find the answer here.

a. Athenaville

b. Athensville

c. Arborville

🤔 Wondering: If the PPA would consider a sale of this vacant lot going unused to offset the cost it’s asking the School District to repay?

🍎 Reading: This roundup of healthy options at Wawa to consider, as suggested by a dietitian.

🏀 Reminding: Just a few hours remain to fill out The Inquirer Bracket Jawn ahead of today’s tip-off of the NCAA Tournament for your chance to win a $1,000 Visa gift card. Here’s all you need to know.

Turned his noodles into pasta because he’s a monster. Naturally.

LIME KELM

Think you know? Send your guess our way at morningnewsletter@inquirer.com. We’ll give a shoutout to a reader at random who answers correctly. Today’s shoutout goes to Heidi Schumacher in Mount Laurel, N.J., who correctly guessed ROAST PORK AND BROCCOLI RABE as Wednesday’s answer.

Thank you for getting your morning started with The Inquirer. Happy St. Patrick’s Day. ☘️