Fear, but Few Facts, on Hybrid Risk

New York Times ^ | April 27, 2008 | Jim Montavalli

[Cicero]

Well, I certainly wouldn’t buy a hybrid. They’re very expensive, they don’t get the mileage they advertise, and I’m not convinced that they will save the planet. Quite the reverse, probably, with all those batteries and electric motors to recycle or dispose of.

[Steely Tom]

I’ve been told that there are areas within modern chopper-regulated diesel-to-AC locomotoves into which humans must not venture when under power, because of high-strength radiated fields.

[freekitty]

Funny, I haven’t heard about any safety studies being done on them.

[South40]

For all hybrid owners...

[Raycpa]

Should I throw out my telephones and hard drives just to be on safe side?

[delacoert]

How many do you want?

LOL, you do an excellent impersonation of a... well, let's just say it rhymes with boron.

Quotation from your FIRST LINK:

“To put these results in perspective, our study shows that about five of the 400 cases of childhood leukemia every year may be linked to power lines - which is about 1% of cases,” says Gerald Draper at Oxford University, who led the study. “The condition is very rare and people living near power lines should have no cause for concern.”

[DoughtyOne]

I purchased a Mariner several years ago. It has consistantly provided better mileage than was advertised. I have gotten as high as 32 MPG in hiway conditions.

It’s parts are recycleable. What’s the problem with that?

Tell you what, I’m happy with the vehicle. It has served my purposes very well.

[Colorado Cowgirl]

“They’re very expensive, they don’t get the mileage they advertise” What is expensive? My 2006 Prius cost around 25K, I getting over all around 53 MPG and many times over 60 MPG if I take it easy on the gas pedal. No watermellon( green on the outside red in the middle) here! Just thrifty.

[HEY4QDEMS]

I'm not endorsing the studies. I was simply pointing them out to you.

Additionally, the only point of contention in all of them is the link between EMF and one particular type of leukemia called ‘ALL’.

This is why I even wonder why so much is made out of the link to begin with. ALL is very rare and affects something like less than one in 4000 people, assuming that prolonged periods of proximity to EMF doubles your chances of getting the disease, you would still have a less than one in 2000 chance of being afflicted.

In short, I don't know what all the fuss is about.

[HEY4QDEMS]

Perhaps I was trying to impersonate you.

[Balding_Eagle]

In short, I don't know what all the fuss is about.

Me either.

[Nowhere Man]

“In a statement, Toyota said: “The measured electromagnetic fields inside and outside of Toyota hybrid vehicles in the 50 to 60 hertz range are at the same low levels as conventional gasoline vehicles. Therefore there are no additional health risks to drivers, passengers or bystanders.””

This is a curiously worded statement.....as if there are no electromagnetic fields of concern but in the 50-60Hz range.

I know the Prius uses an AC motor so naturally you have to use an inverter to convert the DC current to AC. I did find a Department of Energy PDF file on the Prius and according to that, the electricity varies in cycles from 33 to 401 cycles, it uses an AC synchronous motor so that variable AC cycles would make sense. I think the general risk is minimal for the most part but there are still some things about electric fields and their effects that we may not know about so who knows what to think? I've heard my share of stories where people get sick to the stomach when they encounter high electrical fields and where one guy took two bulk tape erasers to his head and he suffered physiological and psychological problems after that.

Then you have things like the chemicals in the batteries and the voltage, I've heard stories of people leaning over 36 volt golf cart battery systems where they electrocuted themselves, most likely across the heart, not a good place to get shocked across.

I'm an amateur radio operator so I do have a lot of interest in this stuff. Pinging RCA2000 for some thoughts.

[NewHampshireDuo]

Currents (which induce magnetic fields) have an influence on charged particles.

[NewHampshireDuo]

Currents (which induce magnetic fields) have an influence on charged particles.

[Waco]

IF there is a breakthrough in battery design, a car could be built with 3 batteries, controlled by a computer, with solar cells in the roof, hood, and trunk, and a small gas powered generator to keep the batteries up. The computer would switch batteries when their charge fell to a certain level and they would be re-charged while not being used. The key is being able to make batteries light enough. (nano-tech.?) The car would never need any other charge, but an ac charger could also be incorporated. dream on.

[driftdiver]

“Should I throw out my telephones and hard drives just to be on safe side?”

Yes you should. just to be safe send your plasma TV to me for safety testing.

[theBuckwheat]

I suspect that the Toyota statement about 50-60Hz is because the bulk of the research literature is oriented at studies about the effects of power lines on human tissue and systems.

The concern over E/M fields has to do with how they interfere with electro-chemical reactions in the body. Just like the various scanning technologies like MRI work by exposing the body to various frequencies that cause various atoms in the body to resonate and then radiate a signal.

It appears that the science is far from being settled on any real risks.

[billorites]

"Well, I certainly wouldn’t buy a hybrid. They’re very expensive, they don’t get the mileage they advertise, and I’m not convinced that they will save the planet."

You don't buy a hybrid to save the planet.

But rather to demonstrate your environmental bona fides and to flaunt your moral superiority.

OK, while also letting everyone know that you have teeny-tiny mouse sized genitals...

...which you've never had occasion to use.

Not since the airport bathroom in Minneapolis...

[billorites]

"I purchased a Mariner several years ago. It has consistently provided better mileage than was advertised. I have gotten as high as 32 MPG in hiway conditions."

Mr. Robinson I have here in my hand a list of 205 . . . a list of names that were made known to me as being owners of hybrid vehicles and who nevertheless are still posting and lurking at Free Republic. . .

[SuziQ]

I’ve not seen any real proof of cancers caused by proximity to high tension wires. There’s a lot of anecdotal ‘evidence’, but the actual scientific studies have been ambiguous, at best.