[geeks] electric cars

[Charles Shannon Hendrix]

On Mon, 23 Oct 2006 17:57:37 -0400 (EDT)
adh at an.bradford.ma.us (Sandwich Maker) wrote:


> it has to be plain convenience - they're selling the sizzle but not a
> lot of steak.  customers wouldn't go for a diesel hybrid even if it
> would save them more.  toyota is very coy about battery life and
> replacement and disposal costs as it is.  and the prius weighs ~800
> lbs more than the echo it's derived from, with less interior room.

*NOBODY* wants to talk about that it seems.

> a diesel echo - british spec, for example - is rated in their driving
> loop at ~3/4 the mileage of the prius, for about 1/2 the initial
> purchase price.  even at $3/gal fuel, you have to drive a lot of miles
> to make up the ~$10k difference...  and just how much pollution did
> the prius manufacturing process generate?  i've heard that for
> conventional cars, it was equal to the amount they'd emit even 20
> years ago.  that argues that keeping an old car on the road is more
> environmentally friendly than junking it and buying -anything- new.

Bingo.  I was wondering if anyone else would bring that up.

It's like buying a new car to save money on gas.  Do the math: even if
your current car gets 10mph, it will take a hell of a long time before
you break even on a new one for gas mileage.

If we really want to reduce auto pollution, we need to make them last a
long time.  Most people don't keep a car very long, and if you could
just get to 15 years the reduction in pollution would be tremendous.

Of course, I'm not sure the auto manufacturers would be happy about
that.


-- 
shannon "AT" widomaker.com -- ["The strength of the Constitution lies
entirely in the determination of each citizen to defend it.  Only if
every single citizen feels duty bound to do his share in this defense
are the constitutional rights secure." -- Albert Einstein]