hummer is more economical to own than a prius

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PRIUS OUTDOES HUMMER IN ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE | Daily Policy Digest | NCPA

Daily Policy Digest

Global Warming

March 14, 2007
PRIUS OUTDOES HUMMER IN ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE

The Toyota Prius, the flagship car for the environmentally conscious, is the source of some of the worst pollution in North America, and takes more combined energy to produce than a Hummer, says the Recorder.
Consider:
  • The nickel contained in the Prius' battery is mined and smelted at a plant in Ontario that has caused so much environmental damage to the surrounding environment that NASA has used the 'dead zone' around the plant to test moon rovers.
  • Dubbed the Superstack, the factory has spread sulfur dioxide across northern Ontario, becoming every environmentalist's nightmare.
  • Acid rain around the area was so bad it destroyed all the plants and the soil slid down off the hillside, according to Canadian Greenpeace energy-coordinator David Martin.
  • After leaving the plant, the nickel travels to Europe, China, Japan and United States, a hardly environmentally sound round the world trip for a single battery.
But that isn't even the worst part, says the Record. According to a study by CNW Marketing, the total combined energy to produce a Prius (consisting of electrical, fuel, transportation, materials and hundreds of other factors over the expected lifetime), is greater than what it takes to produce a Hummer:
  • The Prius costs an average of $3.25 per mile driven over a lifetime of 100,000 miles -- the expected lifespan of the Hybrid.
  • The Hummer, on the other hand, costs a more fiscal $1.95 per mile to put on the road over an expected lifetime of 300,000 miles.
  • That means the Hummer will last three times longer than a Prius and use almost 50 percent less combined energy doing it.
Source: Chris Demorro, "Prius Outdoes Hummer in Environmental Damage," The Recorder, March 7, 2007.
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This is very true. Wait till you see how ethanol E85 works out.

The expense of this research is found in the replacement of the batteries. Insights suffering from the same. You'll be finding Insights this winter getting 30 or so MPG and selling for $4000 or less because their batteries are starting to need replaced. And it ain't cheap.

Infact, looking at those numbers, they came to the conclusion in the Prius being at '100,000 miles" because you need to replace the batteries about every 50,000 miles. That means that at the 100,000 mark it will have had 3 battery installs, and that's where the pollution figure comes from. If you make it that whole way with one battery set you WILL see the costs drop dramatically.

at $1 per mile total cost ownership (Which is SUPER fucking high) and 300,000 miles you're talking about a car costing more over the course of about 20-25 years than a house (payment only). And that's not necessarily true either.

In my experience, I have only read about 5 (And met 1) people that have the intelligence to present statistics.

Working by true statistical analysis and simple averages (Not even a great method of getting statistics) a used $1000 1986-1991 Honda Civic hatchback is the most intelligent car an american can buy. Blowing this figure away, the pre 1989 Toyota pickup is the most intelligent truck, and the 1984-1990 Dodge Caravan is the most intelligent minivan. Again, these are bought used for about $1000 for a good example.

Owning a motorcycle isn't even great unless you do all the work yourself and understand the maintanance intervals well. My bike came with a necessary 600 mile checkup to the tune of $400+. Then oil, tires, service and other items that follow are astronomically high. If I didn't do my own work, and went to the mechanics for my maintanence then I would be knee deep in expense for the 250. Make that a $16,000 bike and the stakes raise substantially. By the time I'm done with my payments and I own my little, cheap-ass 250 It will have cost me about $0.50 a mile to ride. Hopefully I can recoup that cost in the resale if I keep it shiny and don't drop it on the ground.

Never look at your car in a financial manner.. you'll stop driving if you do. (Brian ?)
 
I can see that (remember, I finance a 76 Cosworth Vega) but damn man... It's well over $1000 a month to own that car.
 
ill drink to that worth every penny part.

i may not drive an M, or even a fast car, but this mirage is the most fun ive had in a car ever.
 
Putting aside the gas savings, will the Prius run if the battery goes bad?
 
This is a question of environmental damage, not a cost analysis for those who missed that point.
 
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I still want to know about the FCX. Screw the prius. Bring on the Hydrogen Car!
 
Oh Jesus Fucking Christ! The Hummer IS NOT more economical! This is a big facade!! They whine because the batteries used in the prius come from factories that put out high emissions... BOO FUCKING WHOO...
 
the 'whining' is about how the uppity hippies who are environmentally conscious buy these cars believing they're doing something good for the environment, when in actuality, it depletes the environment to make it. so, they're hypocrites.
 
the 'whining' is about how the uppity hippies who are environmentally conscious buy these cars believing they're doing something good for the environment, when in actuality, it depletes the environment to make it. so, they're hypocrites.
Nicely put, rminds me of that one episode of John Doe
 
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