Joe Gokaho, 2009.09.24 d4
I was waiting for friends in front of a local popular Mexican restaurant, and over heard a conversation about their “hybrid” family car to friends whom they had dinner with. The intrigued friends kept referring to the Prius as an electric car, but the owner went on the entire “computer logic” flow how the vehicle switches between gasoline engine, and electricity, the condition of which the vehicle would operate as an electric car etc. The intrigued friends was lost in the conversation, but the inquirers were interested in about “green” aspect of the Prius.
Wake up! It’s still a fossil fuel power vehicle, the electricity is just by product from burning fossil fuel. The owner implied they own a “green” vehicle, in this case the Toyota Prius, was a bit stretch.
Nearly all of our current fossil fuel sources are not “renewable”, so Prius is not a “green” car. Even the future plug-in 100% electric car like Volt – isn’t green unless the it doesn't charge it with power generated from coal, or natural gas or even nuclear power plants.
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Well, you can get a pretty fuel efficient car without the use of expensive electric motor/battery pack, like the Prius. 3 basic attributes makes the car efficient – weight of the vehicle, aerodynamic drag/resistance of the tires friction, and the efficiency of the power plant (engine). Except the "tax incentives - kick starts the "hybrid scheme"..
Just for comparison
Toyota Prius
Weight – 2,965lbs
Aerodynamic Cd, drag – 0.27
Engine – 1.3 Liter & electric
City 34 mpg
Highway 47 mpg
- Source Consumer Reports
(say a 2006 Honda Civic 4 dr)
Weight – 2,900 lbs
Aerodynamic Cd =
Engine 1.8 Liter
City 18mpg
Highway 43mpg
- Source Consumer Reports
The highway driving, both cars have pretty similar fuel economy; Prius is better at managing power at city driving (stop and go situation), less energy is wasted by “shutting down engine” and use electric power to assist acceleration, avoid over revving engines.
If you commute, less of the Washington DC stop & go driving, save yourself a few dollars, just get an aerodynamic car with small engine displacement. It's hard to come up $3,500 worth of fuel saving.
