Posted on 10/20/2010 5:19:04 AM PDT by Lockbox
The dirty side of Toyota Prius
The Toyota Prius is among the greenest cars to operate. But manufacturing the famous gasoline-electric hybrid can be a dirty business.
Toyota studied the car's total environmental impact from factory to junkyard.
Not surprisingly, the fuel-efficient Prius was better than average in its class of vehicles in lifetime emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and sulfur oxide, according to Toyota.
But it was slightly worse than average in emissions of nonmethane hydrocarbons and particulate matter. Toyota says this is because producing hybrid-only parts such as motors, inverters and nickel-metal hydride batteries consumes more energy and creates more emissions.
In fact, when looking at the "materials manufacturing" phase of the car's life cycle, the Prius was worse than the class average across all five emissions categories.
Toyota said it conducted life cycle emissions assessments on eight vehicle series last year and used the results to help redesign such models as the Prius, Lexus RX 450h and HS 250h and such Japan-market vehicles as the Wish minivan and Mark X sedan.
Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101018/OEM01/310189979#ixzz12trBMdoe
I've saved roughly $8000 on gas alone since 2003.
And no, it won't cost me $20k when it's time to junk it.
Also, no, it does not cost 10k to replace the main drive batteries. No, my car has never run away from me.
I don't wear sandals, eat tofu, and couldn't care less if you drive a hybrid or not, for any reason whatsoever.
Reasonable, informed humans can draw their own conclusions about the "dead as the moon" hysterics.
Anybody want to talk about Chrome? Polonium? Rare Earths?
There's at least two of us who don't seem to fit the image of these neurotic hysterics.
As an engineer, I bought mine in 2003 because I wanted a long term look at the technology, its strength and weaknesses. I have simultaneously driven a Jeep Cherokee, a 4-Runner and an antique Triumph TR-4.
The Prius has some monumentally irritating problems but the focus of this article, and the childish responses, do not cover any of them.
I worked on bus hybrids at Allison before I retired.
There’s some very good engineering in the Prius.
Sometimes I wonder about FR when I read these threads.
They are amusing.
At least one or two a year to keep the reality TV and Hee Haw crowd amused.
How much have you spent on tires?
There are independent garages certified to do warranty work.
Taking the van back to the dealer is her problem, nearly all of them gouge on service after the sale, it’s where the bulk of their profit is made.
So long as she keeps receipts to prove conformation to required service intervals and the oil is to manufacturer specification, there is absolutely no reason having her oil changed at her local garage has anything to do with anything as far as warranty.
They’re lying to keep her and their markup rolling in. Again, it’s not just Toyota, most are like that. Some Toyota dealers themselves are better than others in this regard, too, so it may pay to look around at different ones in her area, if she just feels better about dealing with a dealer, despite the widespread issues with dealer service.
#66 That site is growing orange something or other.
Marketing opportunity there. Maybe a new color for grass. Who needs green grass when orange is available.
Ad: Orange uses less water then green.
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