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“Don’t Worry” The Unsuspecting Polluters Hybrid Cars
 * Christopher Knortz**

In recent years the hybrid car has been looked at as the savior to the American idea of a car as the true form of freedom. This idea has been something that the auto industry and the government have instilled into the American culture from the early days after the Second World War to the present. The completion of the Interstate Highway Act, the great political strength of the auto industry, and the move to rural settings by most of the population has made cars a necessity for most Americans. The growing concern about climate change and dependence on oil has encouraged many people to look for an alternative to the traditional car. This has not meant moving back to cities or greater use of public transportation, however, because it is not part of most people’s American dream. This has led people, instead, to purchase a different type of car. The sales of [|hybrid vehicles] have risen from their introduction over ten year ago. People have been convinced that by purchasing one they will be doing their part in saving the world. This propaganda from the auto makers is easy to believe with the aerodynamic bodies and impressive mileage numbers for many of these vehicles. Many have the potential to achieve [|50 MPG], and these numbers are backed by the EPA. However the advertisements never mention the devastation caused by the refining of materials for the battery packs, the vast initial energy cost to produce such a complicated car, or the environmental impact of the car when its useful life is over. Hybrid cars use a great deal of plastic in their construction to reduce weight, more that many other cars, and this has its own lifecycle problems. The batteries used in hybrid cars are nickel-metal-hydride. The nickel is mined and refined in Canada, where it is shipped around the world to China to be further processed. Then it is put into a battery in Japan and shipped back the U.S. This transportation of material is not required for the construction of many domestic non-hybrid cars. When considering new cars, a non-hybrid requires less energy in the initial production than a hybrid. The initial production of a typical Toyota Prius consumes [|113 million BTUs], this is equivalent to approximately 1000 gallons of gasoline. Non-hybrid cars also have included energy costs, however, they are not as large. Another issue is the potential of environmental damage with the disposal of the batteries from hybrids. While there are currently substantial programs to recycle the batteries, this is still a potentially dangerous step that is not needed with traditional cars. The alternatives to hybrid cars are still nearly as costly to the environment leaving no truly environmental choice when purchasing a car**.** The alternative, and the better option in many cases, would be a pre-owned car. The initial energy to produce the car has already been consumed and only fuel and maintenance costs are to be considered. Most of the components on cars are still useable when they are finally recycled. This wastes a great deal of valuable components. Making a used car a more environmentally friendly choice depends on the total efficiency, which generally needs to be over [|37 MPG]. The longer the car is maintained the more beneficial it is. Many hybrids are only designed to last 150,000 miles; traditional cars can commonly run over 200,000 with no special care. The issue of pure economics to the consumer is also often overlooked. When comparing a Honda Civic Hybrid and a traditional Civic, it would take over [|10 years] to pay back the full investment on the hybrid over the traditional Civic. In this situation the hybrid version costs nearly $5000 more with only about a $500 savings on fuel each year. These numbers do not include the replacement of the battery, at this point in the car’s life the battery will be near the end of its expected life. They [|battery] is designed to last between 100,000 and 180,000 miles depending on manufacturer in a hybrid car. The replacement cost is near $5000. With so many miles on it, the cost of the new battery nearly matches the now depreciated value of the car, making is almost worthless to replace. One other option for a more environmentally friendly future for the auto industry is smaller cars and more diesel power. The previous trend has been for larger cars with more powerful engines, and more electronic gadgets in every year of cars. In reality, it takes a very small car to transport a person on a road. This continuous growth of the car is related to the continual growth of the economy, both shown as unsustainable patterns. Currently there is legislation that inhibits the introduction of diesels into the U.S. market on a large scale. There are many cars currently being use in the rest of the world that achieve greater than [|40MPG] without costly hybrid systems. The largest factor to the inefficiency in the auto industry is the fact that energy still remains very inexpensive in this country. When compared to the rest of the world, energy costs are a great deal lower making it easy to justify such a system. When energy become a true cost issue people will begin to demand truly efficient cars. The current production method for hybrids is very energy intensive, making them a weaker option if energy prices continue to increase. It is a well-known fact that this country cannot continue to use traditional automobiles as a sustainable method of transportation. The infrastructure changes that would be needed to convert society to a more urban setting would be financially daunting and take many years. Hybrids can be seen as a stepping stone to future technology or the true future that needs support by the public to realize its true potential. The economics of the situation will determine the hybrid’s future, whether people consider the true hidden cost or only look at the short term gains. Reference [] [] [], [] [] [] [] [] Photo reference [] [] [] [] []