We Can’t Believe Everything We Read – Hybrids and Hummers
by Jenna Watson, Barcelona on 02.15.07
Cars & Transportation
This week the sparks have flown over the constantly revisited debate of whether hybrids are as efficient as they claim in comparison to a regular gasoline powered vehicle. Again, this is a controversial topic, and I will start by saying that I am in no way trying to bash hybrids. Both the Economist and Grist have had their say regarding a controversial report so now it’s one Treehugger’s turn. It started with the Economist’s article that “Diesels are the Smart Green Choice”, which says,
"The dirty little secret about hybrids is that their batteries and extensive use of aluminium parts make them costly to build in energy terms as well as financial terms. One life-cycle assessment claims that, from factory floor to scrap heap, a Prius consumes more energy even than a Hummer H3. Diesels are unlikely to consume anything like as much over their lifetime. That could change, of course, if some bright spark decides to replace a hybrid’s petrol engine with a diesel—to launch a family car capable of 100mpg. Now there’s a thought.
