When someone is in the market for a hybrid vehicle, they are primarily looking for two things: fuel economy and environmental impact. Before you go and stick your nose up in your self-righteous manner to your fellow gas-powered peers, recent facts and figures are indicating that hybrid vehicles are actually relatively inferior to that of a MPG-minded gas equivalent. Here’s why:
Grossly Inaccurate EPA Numbers
The EPA has recently been under scrutiny for their lack of rigorous and precise testing of hybrid vehicles. This is because during the testing of a hybrid vehicle, the batteries are doing all of the driving not taking into account the fuel cost of the gasoline engine kicking in to recharge the batteries. Also the highway speeds in EPA testing are considerably lower than real world driving. Measures such as eco tires are taken as well, which gives you less rolling resistance, but compromises safety and comfort.
Punishing Environmental Impact
Although hybrid cars produce fewer emissions while driving, manufacturers have conveniently glossed over the atrocious amount of energy it takes to actually build a hybrid. This is because of rare metals that are needed in the batteries; these are expensive and environmentally damaging to remove from the Earth. 97% of these rare earth metals come from China, because they obtain it much more cheaply. The reason being is that they don’t bother dealing with pesky environmental laws. So before you even hand your cash over to that clammy palmed salesman, Johnny polar bear has already floated away on his slab of ice.
Another Marketing Ploy
There have been gimmicks like this in the automotive industry. Diesels and turbochargers were supposed to be the technology that saved the world, but it fell a little bit short. You still see lots of diesels and turbochargers today, but they aren’t necessarily vital and that’s where hybrid technology will fall as well. Unfortunately hybrids add an unnecessary abundance of weight and complexity that costs initially, and in the end. Bringing a new found problem we face now, and that is how to recycle batteries once they become no longer usable.
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