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Originally Posted by Tech
oh how i love a good debate *rubs hands together*
i'm not sure if you are refering to, or have ever read, the CNW marketing research report claiming that a prius is worse for the environment than an H2 based on the overall energy costs. while the purpose of the study was a good idea, they have several flaws in their system. first, if we are talking about overall COST of this vehicle, what about the money we are pumping into middle eastern countries each time we fill up an H2 (a lot more money than a prius sends) and some would say we're fighting a whole damn war over this oil. this is not factored into their study at all, or even addressed. there is also huge speculation over the credibility of their data showing the estimated life-span of a prius (109k) vs an H2 (197k). there is also plain falsities in the study as well. for instance the study states that the lithium-ion batteries of the prius are not recycled, despite toyota having an extensive recycling program in place. then there are just oddities such as the fact that the xA and xB are both built on the same assembly lines, only sold in the US, both shipped at the same time, to the same dealers, have the same engines and transmissions, are within 50 lbs of each other and 2 mpg, yet somehow the xB only costs 60% per mile vs the xB ($.78 vs $.48 respectively).
i'm not saying a prius is a saint, but i'm just going to say it... anyone who still thinks driving a hummer is better than driving a hybrid is still not getting it. if you want to argue with me that a VW Lupo or Toyota Echo is more environmentally friendly, go for it, but don't be so foolish to argue that a Hummer is good for "mother nature."
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I'm not denying the fact that the Hummer H2 will cost more on gas, all I'm saying is that a Prius is meaner to the environment than a Hummer H2. The amount of acid that has been caused by all the nickel mining and smelting in Ontario is incredible. You wouldn't know that, since all you see is the 50 MPG EPA figure slapped on the window of a Prius.
And, we really aren't buying gas from the Middle East since most of our oil comes from Alberta. And dependence on foreign oil and environmentalism are two topics that should not intermingle.
For life expectancy, you really can't say if the Prius will last longer. It hasn't even been on the market for a decade, whereas Hummers (and other conventional cars) have for many decades.
Even if Toyota recycles batteries, there is still a lot of environmental damage being done when they are made.
An xB also costs more, so that obviously have something to do with the figures. They are also taking into account resale value, etc.
Nether of the two cars is good for mother nature. Riding a bike or walking is good for mother nature. But out of the two, the Hummer is better since it uses less energy, from its production till its "death" when compared with the Prius.
If you really want to reduce your carbon emissions footprint and still drive a car, you should just buy a late model Golf TDI and get it to use biodiesel. That would actually make a difference.