Prius Outpollutes Hummer

That was funny!

Thanks for sharing, cjhsa!

On another forum where this article was posted, a detailed debate ensued. Amongst the responses was this:



Just for context..

Hey nimh, you have a battery named after you!

Re: Prius Outpollutes Hummer


someone either hasn't been in Sudbury for about 20 years, or they're quoting something from 25 - 30 years ago.

the greening of Sudbury

by the time I moved there in the early 90's, the place was greeeeeen

still kinda stinky a couple of days a year - but not at all what it was like in the 1960's and 70's

Well, actually Walter, some of the things cj said are the reason I didn't buy a Prius.

I don't know about the cost to build/run a prius vs a hummer as far as the pollution it produces, but....

For the extra money I'd pay for a Toyata Corolla over a Prius, I figured I would have to own the Prius for 6 years before I would break even.

I watched my driving and found where I drive I very seldom go under 30 miles an hour, so I'd be using the gas component most of the time. Plus I make every effort to drive efficiently, timing lights so I don't have to come to a complete stop (even going a couple miles an hour when the light turns green means a lot less gas needed to accelerate back up)...coasting down hills.....looking ahead on the road to watch for slowing traffic instead of flying up like an idiot and slamming on the brakes...keeping my car tuned and tires inflated...timing trips so I can do 3 or 4 things instead of one....In other words, driving like a thinking human being.

It's my firm belief if everyone slowed down 10 mph, paid a little attention to what they were doing, and God forbid bought a car that was truly appropriate for the number of people that ride in it, it would equal if not exceed the efficiency of a hybrid.

I expect nothing less from you, oh logical one. I'm sure your farts don't stink either, so you don't have to expend carbon credits for them.

Well, a Prius is thought to be a town car, Chai.
A Coralla certainly isn't.

I don't know what you mean Walter.

Well, here in Europe, a Prius is a car for driving more in towns than over longer distances.

Does anyone really believe an H3 will make it to 300,000 miles, but a Civic won't?

What do you consider long distance?

30 mph is approx 48 kph, not very fast.

I might drive my car around 25 mph down my side street, lined with houses, but it's a very small road, residential. My street is about 8 blocks long. As soon as I turn off it, I'm certainly going to be doing at least 35. If it's not rush hour, a person drives at least 45, that's the posted speed limit. And that's just going somewhere 2 miles away. I've lived in tiny towns, and cities like Austin that are spread out. When I lived in an actual Village, people drove around it faster than 35.

To get to work, I drive down a hill, and through a park, getting up to 45.
Then I'm on a highway for, oh, 8 miles going 55 to 60.

On Saturdays to get basic errands run, I drive 15 to 20 miles over the course of a few hours, again, 80% of it is over 35mph.

My "have to" driving equals maybe 125 miles a week. Not exactly long distance. If that amount were halved, like what you might consider around town, the extra price of a Prius could hardly be justified for 9 miles a day. I believe it is a way for some people to buy a feeling they are doing a green thing, when in reality, they could do much better just slowing down. America's like that, we'd rather spend our money on something that could be done for free.

I get 35 mph in my corolla, and I don't believe the prius gets the stated 60mph in normal driving conditions, like up and down hills.

I just don't believe the Prius can beat sensible people driving the way they should.

But, I'm listening Walter...tell me of your experiences.

I honestly don't see the difference between a puny Corolla and slightly larger but still puny Prius when it comes to distance driving.

That's what I'm saying.

I neither like the Corolla nor the Prius. So I might easily have something mixed up.

Bumping from this morning….

You know, I find it strange that people in general want to talk about new technology for hybrids, but as soon as it goes from something new you can buy that will permit you just keep living your same lifestyle, to actually taking a little bit upon yourself to live more sanely, there is dead silence.

I really don't understand people. They want to whine and bitch about the cost of gas, and discuss the politics of whose fault it is that the prices are artificially high. But to suggest that someone take 5 minutes longer to get where you going? To ask why someone who drives alone 95% of the time needs an SUV? You'll get a look like you should be in the loony bin.

Is it really that important to people to drive 75 rather than 60? Is it that hard to look a block and a half ahead to see the light just turned red and you don't need to race up to it?

Well, no, not for me.

My car really uses only very little diesel, is excellent in CO2 emission, has a carbon filter .... and is fast :wink:

feets, take me walking.

article may well be right, but it still makes more sense to have a Prius in town (if you really must have a car) than a Hummer. But I'm an avid anti-hummerist, so I don't make any claims to be objective.

Plus, I will keep riding my bicycle in town for as many years as I'll be able to. When I can't, I take the public transportation.

Im a dead set against the ethanol pushing thats going on. Sunoco has already changed over to a 15% ethanol mix and theyre already having gasoline spills into ground water worse than the old MTBE spills (ethanol is more fluid and more soluble than MTBE)

As a farmer, the price of cor has jumped to over 4 bucks a bushel,wait a couple months and watch all the food price jumps.
Biodesel is good as long as it doesnt rob food stores, Ethanol from garbage is a big possibility that we havent spent anything on.Id love to "mine an old landfill" for making ethanol. Itd reduce the volume by 50% and wed have some waste to energy.

As far as cj's findings, Id like to raed more about the comparisons on an aples to apples basis. Loading a per mile cost based upon some antcipated car life is kind of a stupid comparison because when one does "life cycle" costs , one adds the cost of a total refit as an add-on to the cost of operation. So, it appears that, we will need 3 Prii to make the life of one Hummer (H1, H2, or H3?).

Yeh Ive been to Sudbury many times and the old nickel sulfide pits and acid leachate are a thing of the 60:s and 70's , so theres a big error in analysis