Curmudgeonly & Skeptical presents Boned Jello: The Toyota "Pious"

Thursday, March 22, 2007

The Toyota "Pious"

SMUG ALERT

Through a study by CNW Marketing called “Dust to Dust,” the total combined energy is taken from all the electrical, fuel, transportation, materials (metal, plastic, etc) and hundreds of other factors over the expected lifetime of a vehicle. The Prius costs an average of $3.25 per mile driven over a lifetime of 100,000 miles - the expected lifespan of the Hybrid.

The Hummer, on the other hand, costs a more fiscal $1.95 per mile to put on the road over an expected lifetime of 300,000 miles. That means the Hummer will last three times longer than a Prius and use less combined energy doing it. (Prius Outdoes Hummer in Environmental Damage)

A caveat

Rodger the Real King of France 3/22/2007 08:44:00 AM 9 Comments

"If the number of Islamic terror attacks continues at the current rate, candlelight vigils will soon be the number-one cause of global warming. "
Argus Hamilton

9 comments:

Anonymous said...: I know several people who are very proud and smug about their hybrids.

And when I explain to them about the horrible heavy metals, corrosive gels in the batteries and environmental impact of the weight-reducing composites and plastics, their eyes glaze over and their jaws drop.

They. just. don't. want. to. hear. it....; 3/22/07, 10:55 AM
Anonymous said...: I wonder if the Prius cost per mile includes a number of battery replacements along the way to the 100,000 miles?
Lt. Col. Gen. Tailgunner dick; 3/22/07, 11:16 AM
Anonymous said...: Lt. Col. Gen. Tailgunner dick,

Includes the battery replacements? Almost certainly. Although real-world testing is showing battery replacements to be uncommon before 100,000, the Toyota factory warranty covers any necessary battery pack changes up to 100,000 miles at no charge.

As much as I'd like to have a smackdown for the smug Prius owners, I'm certain the usable lifespan of the Prius is well past 100,000 miles. I know of two that are in the 90,000 range and run like the day they were built, still getting 45+ MPG even with aged battery packs. And the packs are composed of hundreds of individual cells which can be replaced individually.

All this is a specious argument, anyway. It's America. We're supposed to be able to drive (say, think, etc.) whatever we want. Without justification. Without apology.

I saw a funny bumper sticker on a HMMV (a real military model, turbo diesel, 55MPH max speed). It read "Your car is my 'crumple zone.'" alongside "So you're a feminist? Isn't that cute?"

--Jack; 3/22/07, 12:01 PM
hotspur666 said...: Why in heaven would people bother with a Prius when the Yaris' mileage is better and the convenience far
superior for half the cost???

Fact, the old Suzuki Swift/Chevy Sprint
used to get eighty miles to the gallon
in a peppy and very roomy car...

Ours, purchased for $3,000, went
for another 150,000 miles at the cost
of less than .05 cent a mile!!!
(OK, gaz was little more than a dollar then in Fla...)

But since it is almost five dollars a gallon here right now,
Yes, the next one is the Yaris,
and you will get the hatchback soon
in the US too.; 3/22/07, 2:47 PM
Anonymous said...: Rodg,

I saw this piece too, and its premise seemed dubious to me. (Using a life expectancy of 100,000 mi.for a Prius versus 300,000 mi for Hummer.)

In any event, the costs for Prius are going to come down since the 2008 version is converting away from the nickel battery to a lithium-based one, and the new drive train technology is said to increase the expected mileage from 45+ up to closer to 80 MPG! (no wonder Ford and GM are going back to the drawing board with their hybrid programs)

That said, nothing is more irritating than listening to the "eco-preeners" self-congratulate about their Priuses.

Krauthammer's column today is priceless.; 3/22/07, 4:27 PM
Anonymous said...: Benjamin Disraeli said a long time ago, "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics”. I fear that's what's going on here. I don't think we need to justify our consumption choices. If you can afford to drive a Porsche 911, go ahead. The flip side is that you don't deserve any feeling of superiority from driving what you think is a more eco-friendly car. It's just a holier-than-thou attitude from the Church of Gaia. Get down off your high horse. We all appreciate conservation for its own sake, and that should be enough.

Krauthammer's article was nice. He's always worth reading. Unfortunately, he's the token conservative at Time, just as he is at the Washington Post. I have to draw you attention to this picture from the bottom of that page. The only thing missing is a centurion's helmet floating in space, a la "Doonesbury". In other words, just a cheap shot directed at our President and all those who elected him. No, I'm not reading too much into it. It says "headless". Time can just bite me. And swallow.; 3/22/07, 5:06 PM
Kim du Toit said...: Yeah, a Hummer getting 300,000 miles? In some PR guy's wet dream, maybe.

180,000 tops. And then it's off to meet Mr. Scrapyard.; 3/22/07, 5:56 PM
hotspur666 said...: Last Diesel Eight I was on had 65,000
hours...that's over 40 MILLION miles...
(500 gallons an hour...carrying
40 tons 6,000 miles); 3/22/07, 8:22 PM
Anonymous said...: WTF kind of ciphering are you utilizing in that equation, CaptnMorgan? Forty million miles divided by 65,000 hours is over 600 miles per hour, regardless of the other bullshit you inject into the mix.

skh; 3/23/07, 12:13 AM

Thursday, March 22, 2007

The Toyota "Pious"

SMUG ALERT

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