[Cronos]

"Owners of cars with high emissions of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, face higher taxes. "

Bigger and heavier doesn't necessarily translate into higher emissions of CO2 -- compare the Prius with, oh, a Fiat Panda or a SEAT Cinquecento.

[Stoat]

Bigger and heavier doesn't necessarily translate into higher emissions of CO2 -- compare the Prius with, oh, a Fiat Panda or a SEAT Cinquecento.
 

Even though I don't have corroborating evidence in front of me, I'm sure that you're right if only because the entire "Greenhouse gases" mantra is bad science masquerading as fraudulent public policy from one end to the other.

In addition, other posters have mentioned the very real spectre of the battery disposal issue.  I understand that at present there's no viable recycling option for the batteries and so every few years a Prius owner will need to shell out $3,000.  for another eight hundred pounds of batteries, and put the old ones....where?

Those who want to sacrifice safety and comfort for political correctness are welcome to....they will keep our healthcare industry stocked with trauma patients.