There is a well documented history of higher incidences of certain kinds of cancers around neighborhoods, schools, etc, in close proximity to high tension wires. Now whether the electromagnetic currents in a little Prius are as strong as a high tension wires, who knows.
Same current levels that help your bones heal after a bad break.
The real risk is if you get into a wreck and the car catches on fire. Some of the chemicals in all those batteries are very bad news when burnt. I know firefighters who won’t get near a burning hybrid without a full hazmat suit. Needless to say, if you are trapped in a burning hybrid, your life expectancy isn’t real good...
Aw Gee. This is the “powerlines of death” all over again. About as sound as global warming.
Why not shield the cables?
“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.
In my opinion, the above paragraph is wrongly implying that gasoline engine powered vehicles, with their spark plugs connected to a distributor system, do not produce magnetic fields. So I agree with the title of this thread that the referenced article, perhaps written by a journalist who flunked basic physics, is FUD against hybrid vehicles.
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.
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.
Funny, I haven’t heard about any safety studies being done on them.
Should I throw out my telephones and hard drives just to be on safe side?
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.
Build some nuclear power plants and some oil refineries.
Salvage the oil bubbling out of the ocean off Long Beach, CA.
Who gives a crap?
Also we hope the Dell Syndrome never affects electric cars. Imagine 1000 laptop batteries shorting out under your seat.