Comments on: Updates on benefit of using hybrid cars http://www.envicars.com/27/updates-on-benefits-of-using-hybrid-cars/ Reviews & News Updates for Environmental Cars Tue, 18 Dec 2007 19:50:02 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Dougall http://www.envicars.com/27/updates-on-benefits-of-using-hybrid-cars/comment-page-1/#comment-147 Dougall Sat, 17 Mar 2007 07:22:59 +0000 http://www.envicars.com/27/updates-on-benefits-of-using-hybrid-cars/#comment-147 Hybrid cars sound like a good idea and I don't want to sound like a wet blanket but can anyone tell me the greenhouse costs of producing one verses how much they save? They are basically a normal car with lots of extra equipment such as electric motors, large batteries, large cabling, regenerative braking systems, etc. all of which cost a hell of a lot in green house gasses to produce. Toyota claim that their hybrid can save up to one tonne of green house gasses per year so it would seem to me that you would have to own one for alot of years before it became greenhouse positive. And that's only if you don't have to replace any of these major components in that time. Considering there are many small diesels out there that actually get similar or even better fuel economy (read greenhouse gasses) it seems to me that hybrid cars may just be a clever marketing ploy by the car companies who would be better off putting their research money into biofuels, or hydrogen etc. Hope I'm wrong but what is the greenhouse cost per kilogram of machined alloy, moulded plastic, etc? Hybrid cars sound like a good idea and I don’t want to sound like a wet blanket but can anyone tell me the greenhouse costs of producing one verses how much they save?

They are basically a normal car with lots of extra equipment such as electric motors, large batteries, large cabling, regenerative braking systems, etc. all of which cost a hell of a lot in green house gasses to produce. Toyota claim that their hybrid can save up to one tonne of green house gasses per year so it would seem to me that you would have to own one for alot of years before it became greenhouse positive. And that’s only if you don’t have to replace any of these major components in that time.

Considering there are many small diesels out there that actually get similar or even better fuel economy (read greenhouse gasses) it seems to me that hybrid cars may just be a clever marketing ploy by the car companies who would be better off putting their research money into biofuels, or hydrogen etc.

Hope I’m wrong but what is the greenhouse cost per kilogram of machined alloy, moulded plastic, etc?

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