Comments on: Hybrids Account for 1% of Car Sales

By: Sam

Sam — Mon, 25 Apr 2005 22:49:21 +0000

Baby Peanut: The Honda Civic Hybrid and the Toyota Prius uses NiMH batteries, I'd expect most of the other practical hybrids are as well. What I'm wondering about is the huge battery replacement bills people will see a few years down the line... (googling, it looks like Honda expects the battery to last around 10 years, and GM intends to use lead-acid for its hybrids...)

By: Hal

Hal — Mon, 25 Apr 2005 22:33:17 +0000

Um, b. peanut, they're NMH and lithium ion. Toyota has a comprehensive battery recycling program in place and has been recycling nickel-metal hydride batteries since the RAV4 Electric Vehicle was introduced in 1998. Every part of the battery, from the precious metals to the plastic, plates, steel case and the wiring, is recycled. To ensure that batteries come back to Toyota, each battery has a phone number on it to call for recycling information and dealers are paid a $200 "bounty" for each battery.

But bravo on the classic right wing attack against environmentalism and conservation of any kind.

By: Baby Peanut

Baby Peanut — Mon, 25 Apr 2005 20:50:55 +0000

Just keep concentrating as hard as you can on the idea that hybrids are clean. That way you won't notice the huge lead-acid batteries you have to throw away after five years or so. We all love lead so much because we want to be more retarded that way we can remember the fact that hybrids are clean, clean, clean.

By: James Joyner

James Joyner — Mon, 25 Apr 2005 17:29:47 +0000

Well, hybrids combined are only 1% of sales. Economy cars in general aren't hugely popular these days. But the Escape, Lexus, Accord, and others should appeal to far more people.

By: Half Sigma

Half Sigma — Mon, 25 Apr 2005 17:28:23 +0000

Hybrid cars: yuppie toys, not economical
The latest yuppie toy is the hybrid car. It allows yuppies to waste money on conspicuous consumption, yet convince themselves they are helping the world. A press release says that hybrid car registrations are up 81%. Let me set

By: DC Loser

DC Loser — Mon, 25 Apr 2005 17:01:59 +0000

So when is the Hummer Hybrid (H squared) coming out?

I'm not sure the Prius is the kind of car people want to drive if it didn't have a hybrid engine.