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Study: a hybrid consumes more energy in lifetime than a Hummer

M

MikeMike

Lifer
As Americans become increasingly interested in fuel economy and global warming, they are beginning to make choices about the vehicles they drive based on fuel economy and to a lesser degree emissions. But many of those choices aren?t actually the best in terms of vehicle lifetime energy usage and the cost to society over the full lifetime of a car or truck, according to a report by CNW Marketing Research. The firm spent two years collecting data on the energy necessary to plan, build, sell, drive and dispose of a vehicle from initial concept to scrappage. To put the data into understandable terms for consumers, it was translated into a ?dollars per lifetime mile? figure. The most Energy Expensive vehicle sold in the U.S. in calendar year 2005: Maybach at $11.58 per mile. The least expensive: Scion xB at $0.48 cents. While neither of those figures is surprising, it is interesting that driving a hybrid vehicle costs more in terms of overall energy consumed than comparable non-hybrid vehicles.

For example, the Honda Accord Hybrid has an Energy Cost per Mile of $3.29 while the conventional Honda Accord is $2.18. Put simply, over the ?Dust to Dust? lifetime of the Accord Hybrid, it will require about 50 percent more energy than the non-hybrid version.

One of the reasons hybrids cost more than non-hybrids is the manufacture, replacement and disposal of such items as batteries, electric motors (in addition to the conventional engine), lighter weight materials and complexity of the power package.

And while many consumers and environmentalists have targeted sport utility vehicles because of their lower fuel economy and/or perceived inefficiency as a means of transportation, the energy cost per mile shows at least some of that disdain is misplaced.

For example, while the industry average of all vehicles sold in the U.S. in 2005 was $2.28 cents per mile, the Hummer H3 (among most SUVs) was only $1.949 cents per mile. That figure is also lower than all currently offered hybrids and Honda Civic at $2.42 per mile.

?If a consumer is concerned about fuel economy because of family budgets or depleting oil supplies, it is perfectly logical to consider buying high- fuel-economy vehicles,? says Art Spinella, president of CNW Marketing Research, Inc. ?But if the concern is the broader issues such as environmental impact of energy usage, some high-mileage vehicles actually cost society more than conventional or even larger models over their lifetime.

?We believe this kind of data is important in a consumer?s selection of transportation,? says Spinella. ?Basing purchase decisions solely on fuel economy or vehicle size does not get to the heart of the energy usage issue.?

?We hope to see a dialog begin that puts educated and aware consumers into energy policy decisions,? Spinella said. ?We undertook this research to see if perceptions (about energy efficiency) were true in the real world.?
Click to expand...

http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/04/03/...more-energy-in-lifetime-than-a-hummer/
 
But we only care how much money we pay to fill up each time. Who cares about the manufacturing and recycling costs!!!

(typical American response)
 
Originally posted by: MIKEMIKE
As Americans become increasingly interested in fuel economy and global warming, they are beginning to make choices about the vehicles they drive based on fuel economy and to a lesser degree emissions. But many of those choices aren?t actually the best in terms of vehicle lifetime energy usage and the cost to society over the full lifetime of a car or truck, according to a report by CNW Marketing Research. The firm spent two years collecting data on the energy necessary to plan, build, sell, drive and dispose of a vehicle from initial concept to scrappage. To put the data into understandable terms for consumers, it was translated into a ?dollars per lifetime mile? figure. The most Energy Expensive vehicle sold in the U.S. in calendar year 2005: Maybach at $11.58 per mile. The least expensive: Scion xB at $0.48 cents. While neither of those figures is surprising, it is interesting that driving a hybrid vehicle costs more in terms of overall energy consumed than comparable non-hybrid vehicles.

For example, the Honda Accord Hybrid has an Energy Cost per Mile of $3.29 while the conventional Honda Accord is $2.18. Put simply, over the ?Dust to Dust? lifetime of the Accord Hybrid, it will require about 50 percent more energy than the non-hybrid version.

One of the reasons hybrids cost more than non-hybrids is the manufacture, replacement and disposal of such items as batteries, electric motors (in addition to the conventional engine), lighter weight materials and complexity of the power package.

And while many consumers and environmentalists have targeted sport utility vehicles because of their lower fuel economy and/or perceived inefficiency as a means of transportation, the energy cost per mile shows at least some of that disdain is misplaced.

For example, while the industry average of all vehicles sold in the U.S. in 2005 was $2.28 cents per mile, the Hummer H3 (among most SUVs) was only $1.949 cents per mile. That figure is also lower than all currently offered hybrids and Honda Civic at $2.42 per mile.

?If a consumer is concerned about fuel economy because of family budgets or depleting oil supplies, it is perfectly logical to consider buying high- fuel-economy vehicles,? says Art Spinella, president of CNW Marketing Research, Inc. ?But if the concern is the broader issues such as environmental impact of energy usage, some high-mileage vehicles actually cost society more than conventional or even larger models over their lifetime.

?We believe this kind of data is important in a consumer?s selection of transportation,? says Spinella. ?Basing purchase decisions solely on fuel economy or vehicle size does not get to the heart of the energy usage issue.?

?We hope to see a dialog begin that puts educated and aware consumers into energy policy decisions,? Spinella said. ?We undertook this research to see if perceptions (about energy efficiency) were true in the real world.?
Click to expand...

http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/04/03/...more-energy-in-lifetime-than-a-hummer/
Click to expand...

There is no point to this article... Completely retarded, who cares if something creates more energy usage overall if we're on cleaner fuels overall.. For example if we used all water power, solar, wind etc.. and no fossil fuels, then this point would be totally negated and wouldn't matter. Oil is a limited resource, thats all that matters at this point, we can get our energy from other sources and so once oil is gone, it's gone, meaning no more plastics iirc.
 
Originally posted by: Philippine Mango
There is no point to this article... Completely retarded, who cares if something creates more energy usage overall if we're on cleaner fuels overall.. For example if we used all water power, solar, wind etc.. and no fossil fuels, then this point would be totally negated and wouldn't matter. Oil is a limited resource, thats all that matters at this point, we can get our energy from other sources and so once oil is gone, it's gone, meaning no more plastics iirc.
Click to expand...

What? Did you read the article? It talks about why it costs more... things like creating and disposing of pieces like batteries. Yep lead acid batteries (including thier plastic cases) are so good for the environment. What's the matter? Article didn't show what you wanted so you're going to call it names? Aw...
 
well I wont keep a car long enough for motor/battary replacements

so I care about gas cost over 3-5 years. Thats about how long I own a car.
 
Originally posted by: Philippine Mango
Originally posted by: MIKEMIKE
As Americans become increasingly interested in fuel economy and global warming, they are beginning to make choices about the vehicles they drive based on fuel economy and to a lesser degree emissions. But many of those choices aren?t actually the best in terms of vehicle lifetime energy usage and the cost to society over the full lifetime of a car or truck, according to a report by CNW Marketing Research. The firm spent two years collecting data on the energy necessary to plan, build, sell, drive and dispose of a vehicle from initial concept to scrappage. To put the data into understandable terms for consumers, it was translated into a ?dollars per lifetime mile? figure. The most Energy Expensive vehicle sold in the U.S. in calendar year 2005: Maybach at $11.58 per mile. The least expensive: Scion xB at $0.48 cents. While neither of those figures is surprising, it is interesting that driving a hybrid vehicle costs more in terms of overall energy consumed than comparable non-hybrid vehicles.

For example, the Honda Accord Hybrid has an Energy Cost per Mile of $3.29 while the conventional Honda Accord is $2.18. Put simply, over the ?Dust to Dust? lifetime of the Accord Hybrid, it will require about 50 percent more energy than the non-hybrid version.

One of the reasons hybrids cost more than non-hybrids is the manufacture, replacement and disposal of such items as batteries, electric motors (in addition to the conventional engine), lighter weight materials and complexity of the power package.

And while many consumers and environmentalists have targeted sport utility vehicles because of their lower fuel economy and/or perceived inefficiency as a means of transportation, the energy cost per mile shows at least some of that disdain is misplaced.

For example, while the industry average of all vehicles sold in the U.S. in 2005 was $2.28 cents per mile, the Hummer H3 (among most SUVs) was only $1.949 cents per mile. That figure is also lower than all currently offered hybrids and Honda Civic at $2.42 per mile.

?If a consumer is concerned about fuel economy because of family budgets or depleting oil supplies, it is perfectly logical to consider buying high- fuel-economy vehicles,? says Art Spinella, president of CNW Marketing Research, Inc. ?But if the concern is the broader issues such as environmental impact of energy usage, some high-mileage vehicles actually cost society more than conventional or even larger models over their lifetime.

?We believe this kind of data is important in a consumer?s selection of transportation,? says Spinella. ?Basing purchase decisions solely on fuel economy or vehicle size does not get to the heart of the energy usage issue.?

?We hope to see a dialog begin that puts educated and aware consumers into energy policy decisions,? Spinella said. ?We undertook this research to see if perceptions (about energy efficiency) were true in the real world.?
Click to expand...

http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/04/03/...more-energy-in-lifetime-than-a-hummer/
Click to expand...

There is no point to this article... Completely retarded, who cares if something creates more energy usage overall if we're on cleaner fuels overall.. For example if we used all water power, solar, wind etc.. and no fossil fuels, then this point would be totally negated and wouldn't matter. Oil is a limited resource, thats all that matters at this point, we can get our energy from other sources and so once oil is gone, it's gone, meaning no more plastics iirc.
Click to expand...

You aren't making sense. Where do you think the energy to manufacture cars comes from?

By the way, that's a Hummer H3 in the article.. It doesn't mention the H2 at all.
 
And while many consumers and environmentalists have targeted sport utility vehicles because of their lower fuel economy and/or perceived inefficiency as a means of transportation, the energy cost per mile shows at least some of that disdain is misplaced.
Click to expand...

Cool. Now lets see that Hummer cost per mile compared to a conventional Honda Civic cost per mile. I suppose the hummer will prove superior because it's greater mass allows for a greater gravitational attraction to the earth and hence less entropy in the long run 🙂

Hybrids are complex to build, and while the concept is sound, the implementation has a lot of engineering to go. I personally feel that hybrid vehicles are too extreme in their design and engineering. In my area they clig up freeways at rush hourse because the driver is moving at a speed that you can peddle a flinstone car faster.

Adding a basic hybrid power train to a medium/large SUV for example can increase gas mileage by a fairly signifcant degree.
 
Originally posted by: spikespiegal
And while many consumers and environmentalists have targeted sport utility vehicles because of their lower fuel economy and/or perceived inefficiency as a means of transportation, the energy cost per mile shows at least some of that disdain is misplaced.
Click to expand...

Cool. Now lets see that Hummer cost per mile compared to a conventional Honda Civic cost per mile. I suppose the hummer will prove superior because it's greater mass allows for a greater gravitational attraction to the earth and hence less entropy in the long run 🙂

Hybrids are complex to build, and while the concept is sound, the implementation has a lot of engineering to go. I personally feel that hybrid vehicles are too extreme in their design and engineering. In my area they clig up freeways at rush hourse because the driver is moving at a speed that you can peddle a flinstone car faster.

Adding a basic hybrid power train to a medium/large SUV for example can increase gas mileage by a fairly signifcant degree.
Click to expand...

"the Hummer H3 (among most SUVs) was only $1.949 cents per mile. That figure is also lower than all currently offered hybrids and Honda Civic at $2.42 per mile. "

its right there...
 
This may be true, but has no bering on the argument because the manner in which the energy is produced is also a factor.

Usage of limited supply consumable fuels is more important the energy used.

Energy is infinite.
 
This comparison would seem to have a limited shelf-life, as technology improves efficiency on both sides of the hybrid/non-hybrid debate.

Ultimately, though, while the development of both is interesting, hybrids are basically a stop-gap on the way to fuel cells.
 
I'd like to see their whole paper. Interesting figures though. I suppose it just relates increased complexity in hybrids to higher energy cost to produce each unit.
 
I've gotta send this to my mom. She's gonna get a new car pretty soon and has her heart set on either a Mercedes or a Prius.
Yeah, she's a little crazy.
 
Originally posted by: JS80
Hybrid = marketing ploy by rich republicans to steal from rich democrats.
Click to expand...

LMFAO, now the hybrid industry is the fault of the republicans. Priceless!
 
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