Hello, fellow hybrid owners:
I purchased my Civic hybrid because I am concerned about the planet and am trying to leave a small footprint in life. I live in the metro Detroit area, where cars are worshipped, and public transportation is almost non-existent (a few empty, subsidized buses). Lately I have been reading about the inevitability of oil running out (and hence the resource wars that we see happening), which led me to a sobering website, www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net, that explains why hybrid technology is not, nor can ever be, a solution to our energy woes. I'm wondering what some of you think about this. Did you purchase a hybrid for altruistic reasons, because you are concerned about future generations on this fragile planet? Or did you buy a hybrid to reduce your own consumption (which according to the website actually ADDS to overall energy consumption for reasons explained in an article found there). I love my car, but I no longer believe it is helping to create a sustainable future.

 

Didn't read the entire website yet but I'd have to think that a Hybrid is a step in the right direction. Unfortunately there are not a lot of options available that are practical and trully environmentally friendly. Hopefully that changes.

 

I think hybrids help. But I also think there is plenty more to be done. I would suggest checking out the blog treehugger.com for more things you can do.
When I think of how much money someone can save on gas with a hybrid, and how little of a difference it actually makes in the big scheme of things, that just goes to show what a huge problem we have. Just because something isn't going to help very much doesn't mean we shouldn't do it, I think we need to do a much as possible.

 

Actually, this is a pretty good article. The author was very careful and amassed a fair amount of references and other somewhat factual information. However, he did not say that hybrids are not the solution either. As a matter of fact I have yet to hear anyone say that they were supposed to ever be the solution. They are instead often called a intermediate (or stop-gap) solution.

If I read right, what the author stated is:
"Thus, a crash program to replace the 700 million internal combustion vehicles currently on the road with super fuel-efficient or alternative fuel-powered vehicles would consume the energy equivalent of approximately 18-36 billion barrels of oil, which is the amount of oil the world currently consumes in six-to-twelve months"

To me, while this is a scrutinizable statement (potentially valid - pending an empirical review of course), it is hardly a realistic scenario. First of all, cars and their components will continue to be fabricated for the decades to come and the nominal amount of energy required for that process will continue to be used - anyway!!

At some point though, the question is: What to produce?
More hybrids, or gas engine only vehicles, or a combination of both or more. Even knowing that a hybrid will consume "more oil" during its production than a normal gas only vehicle, it should be pretty obvious that over the potential life of those vehicles, the economy hybrid will likely save more oil than the gas only car. Also, let us not forget the secondary benefits that the proper implementation of Hybrid technology can bring: Cleaner air, less wear and tear on the traditional mechanical components, etc.

No my friend, Hybrid technology is not the cure to our oil hemorrage. I compare it rather to an "OK for now" band-aid that will hopefully help slow the bleeding.

It may feel lame that for all the good that we mean in buying hybrid vehicles, we're still not part of the end solution - at least for now. But knowing that this is a problem of epic and global proportions we can't expect to have an overnight solution anyway.

I'll tell you what. Drive your hybrid and enjoy it at the same time. Adopt a personal policy of lowering your carbon footprint in as many things as you can, and if you do that long enough then you are doing your part. If more of us adopt this approach/model then perhaps there is hope for us all.

Cheers;

MSantos

 

I looked at the website you linked and the mention of Jevon's Paradox (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jevons_paradox) is interesting. That is a more complicated version of the attitude of some towards fuel efficiency, namely "Its good you're saving fuel, there's more for the rest of us (to consume)." But I don't think a Nihlistic attitude of "its all going down the drain anyway so I'll buy an H2" is the way either.

 

It's a transitional car. It's the best thing you can drive until we have more-readily available EVs, hydrogen cars, solar cars, magic carpets...

 

I consider hybrids a band-aid. Not going to solve the problem by a long-shot, but at the very least, it extends the amount of time we have to find a real solution to the problem. Getting 2.5x the mpg of everyone else doesn't hurt, either

 

Yes, it's a good alterenative for now.

Buying hybrid technology vehicles lets manufacturers know that folks are willing to embrace new fuel/planet-saving technologies - if only they will build them.

Most of the "dust-to-dust" reviews are hopelessly flawed in their assumptions, or use outdated data. Many are sponsored by companies or organizations opposing alternate fuels or hybrid technology, not truly independent and unbiased researchers. These companies have it good now, why change ANYTHING?

It's a good thing to own a hybrid. Don't let the naysayers defeat your resolve. For many the issue is too difficult or burdensome to consider, so they discredit those that ARE trying to do something. Many people STILL will not admit that global-warming even exists, let alone that it's a problem. This is nothing new. It makes the ones not willing to sacrifice (or think too hard) feel better. Justifies their inattention and inaction. Counter their claims with facts, but don't get too worked up about it. People are free to make their own decisions, even easy lazy ones that may harm the earth more than you think they should.

 

Ditto

 

I'm to the point that I don't pay attention to the other folks. You can easily fall into the trap of being a nonbeliever however sites like this helped me make a final decision. As of now although I love my Scion XB I've gone over close to 3500 miles more on 183 gallons of gas in the HCH. Like most I am happy to see automakers make cars that are fuel efficient and the folks that don't believe or do their own research screw them. People ask me all the time what my FE is and I tell them then and immediately follow with I changed the way I drive to achieve the results. At the end of the day the only person that has to like my car is me. I purchased it for 50mpg and I'm going to drive it to get that. When the next wave of fuel efficent cars come out I will again do my research then decide whether it is for me.