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I never quite understood hybrid cars other than buying them as an indirect donation to pursue hybrid technology. Hybrids are worse for the environment than regu

by RobLach 15y ago

I never quite understood hybrid cars other than buying them as an indirect donation to pursue hybrid technology. Hybrids are worse for the environment than regular plain-ole' ICE cars and don't really give you much of an efficiency boost. Diesel engines are right up there with hybrids in the fuel efficiency game. Take for instance to VW Polo BlueMotion which is rated 70mpg+ Highway. The Passat BlueMotion is worse but still an impressive 57mpg+ Highway. Also consider that some biodiesel fuels are near 100% carbon neutral (such as hemp-based biodiesels), in that they sequester as much carbon dioxide from the air as they will eventually burn into once combusted.

balinvadasz 15y ago
I second the vote for diesel cars/minivans. Much simpler internals than hybrids with comparable (if not better fuel economy). I'd also venture to guess that the total environmental impact including the manufacturing processes is much less too. I wish VW/Audi/BMW/Mercedes sold a decent minivan with a diesel engine here in the US and I'd be a buyer. The VW Sharan gets 43MPG+ (http://www.greencarcongress.com/2010/07/sharan-20100701.html http://www.greencarcongress.com/2010/07/sharan-20100701.html) It's no coincidence that nearly half of the European cars have diesel engines.
- ph0rque 15y ago
  With a diesel-electric hybrid, the jump in fuel economy is just as dramatic: for example, the upcoming VW XL1 will get 235 mpg: http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/reviews/hybrid-electric/volkswagen-xl1-test-drive-1-liter-235-mpg http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/reviews/hybrid-electric...
3am 15y ago
Hey, I've heard that claim that hybrids are worse for the environment than pure internal combustion engines. Honestly I don't see how that's possible and I've never seen read anything that supports it. But I'm not an expert - do you have a source or can you explain it?
- quantumhobbit 15y ago
  Must be referring to the manufacture of the hybrids batteries. I think there was concern a while back they caused a lot of pollution. I never heard anything definitive one way or the other.
- sounds 15y ago
  Here are some places to start. You really need to research to come to a solid conclusion (your own conclusion). http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090419130916AAYkRdW http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090419130916AA... http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071028204335AAyBECY http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071028204335AA... http://www.hybridcars.com/battery-toxicity.html http://www.hybridcars.com/battery-toxicity.html
  - 3am 15y ago
    I did google it already (and found some of those links, though I appreciate you passing them along). I know a fair amount about the subject matter, I was just looking for a real expert (maybe an electric/chemical/industrial engineer that worked in the area) here, in case my conclusions were incorrect. The internet is great and all, but it breeds altogether too many fake wikipedia SMEs :)
    - sounds 15y ago
      I have engineering training. But to really tell you whether the Prius is an improvement or not over a non-hybrid Corolla -- I'd need engineering data Toyota isn't going to release. And just narrowing it to that comparison is going to turn off a lot of people.
- steins 15y ago
  hey.. I haven't done extensive research, but I have read several articles claiming that saying that mining the materials that go into batteries is a very very dirty process and pollutes the entire area around the mining operation, and the energy cost of producing a battery is very high. I have a feeling that once the technology has been around for awhile it will get cleaner, but who knows... I would love to know more if anyone else has done more research.
pkulak 15y ago
Diesel is about 20% more energy dense (and corrospondingly more expensive) than petrol, so it's no great surprise that diesel cars get 20% better mileage. Besides, matching a hybrid on the freeway is not nearly as difficult as in the city. Those numbers you quoted are both highway, but both those cars get under 30 in the city.
- mickt 15y ago
  For some reason in the US diesel is more expensive than petrol/gas, see link for prices in the Boston area: http://www.bostongasprices.com/index.aspx?fuel=C http://www.bostongasprices.com/index.aspx?fuel=C I was recently in Ireland and diesel was .10c cheaper a liter.

by RobLach 15y ago

balinvadasz 15y ago

I second the vote for diesel cars/minivans. Much simpler internals than hybrids with comparable (if not better fuel economy). I'd also venture to guess that the total environmental impact including the manufacturing processes is much less too. I wish VW/Audi/BMW/Mercedes sold a decent minivan with a diesel engine here in the US and I'd be a buyer. The VW Sharan gets 43MPG+ (http://www.greencarcongress.com/2010/07/sharan-20100701.html http://www.greencarcongress.com/2010/07/sharan-20100701.html) It's no coincidence that nearly half of the European cars have diesel engines.

ph0rque 15y ago
With a diesel-electric hybrid, the jump in fuel economy is just as dramatic: for example, the upcoming VW XL1 will get 235 mpg: http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/reviews/hybrid-electric/volkswagen-xl1-test-drive-1-liter-235-mpg http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/reviews/hybrid-electric...

3am 15y ago

Hey, I've heard that claim that hybrids are worse for the environment than pure internal combustion engines. Honestly I don't see how that's possible and I've never seen read anything that supports it. But I'm not an expert - do you have a source or can you explain it?

quantumhobbit 15y ago
Must be referring to the manufacture of the hybrids batteries. I think there was concern a while back they caused a lot of pollution. I never heard anything definitive one way or the other.
sounds 15y ago
Here are some places to start. You really need to research to come to a solid conclusion (your own conclusion). http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090419130916AAYkRdW http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090419130916AA... http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071028204335AAyBECY http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071028204335AA... http://www.hybridcars.com/battery-toxicity.html http://www.hybridcars.com/battery-toxicity.html
- 3am 15y ago
  I did google it already (and found some of those links, though I appreciate you passing them along). I know a fair amount about the subject matter, I was just looking for a real expert (maybe an electric/chemical/industrial engineer that worked in the area) here, in case my conclusions were incorrect. The internet is great and all, but it breeds altogether too many fake wikipedia SMEs :)
  - sounds 15y ago
    I have engineering training. But to really tell you whether the Prius is an improvement or not over a non-hybrid Corolla -- I'd need engineering data Toyota isn't going to release. And just narrowing it to that comparison is going to turn off a lot of people.
steins 15y ago
hey.. I haven't done extensive research, but I have read several articles claiming that saying that mining the materials that go into batteries is a very very dirty process and pollutes the entire area around the mining operation, and the energy cost of producing a battery is very high. I have a feeling that once the technology has been around for awhile it will get cleaner, but who knows... I would love to know more if anyone else has done more research.

pkulak 15y ago

Diesel is about 20% more energy dense (and corrospondingly more expensive) than petrol, so it's no great surprise that diesel cars get 20% better mileage. Besides, matching a hybrid on the freeway is not nearly as difficult as in the city. Those numbers you quoted are both highway, but both those cars get under 30 in the city.

mickt 15y ago
For some reason in the US diesel is more expensive than petrol/gas, see link for prices in the Boston area: http://www.bostongasprices.com/index.aspx?fuel=C http://www.bostongasprices.com/index.aspx?fuel=C I was recently in Ireland and diesel was .10c cheaper a liter.