Introduction

Inspired by a posting by AshenGrey in GreenHybrid.com, this page lists the characteristics of biased, anti-hybrid articles. It provides a roadmap of what to look for with links to the facts and data that answer these claims, point by point.

Hybrid Skeptic Claims

Hybrid vs. EPA

The easiest complaint is that hybrids do not get EPA miles, but neither does any other car UNLESS driven following the EPA protocol: It also turns out that at least one hybrid, the Prius, has a critical transition speed, 42 mph, that marks the boundary between two sets of control laws. Frequent transitions through 42 mph leads to the worst MPG.

Hybrid vs manual transmission

No hybrid for sale today has a manual transmission yet invariably a manual transmission or automatic with a manual mode is use for the comparison. The automatic version of the gas or diesel is never used.

Highway only test

To avoid letting the hybrid operate in electric mode, the comparison tests are invariably on a highway test, often at speeds above 65 mph. This ensures the hybrid drive train is never able to contribute to the vehicle performance. The real question is why the highway efficient Honda Civic Hybrid wasn't used?

Mismatched axle HP

The hybrid-electric delivers more HP to the wheels than the engine alone but the smaller displacement, lower axle HP vehicle is used for the comparison test. This ensures the non-hybrid gets better MPG than the larger displacement, equal performance vehicle.

Cold Weather Test

The test will be conducted in the winter or at temperatures below 60F with no warm-up. This ensures the larger mass of the hybrid electric will have to pay the full warm-up, fuel expense. This is often combined with a highway test to ensure maximum hybrid fuel consumption.

Silence about bumper-to-bumper, rush hour testing

The test will never include starting from the downtown of a major city in the middle of bumper-to-bumper rush hour. This will bypass the auto-stop built in hybrids. Look for use of an IMA hybrid, Honda Civic Hybrid, to get a weaker city performance.

Hybrid vs. stripped non-hybrid

Standard hybrids are loaded with what are expensive options on any other car. Price comparisons of the lowest MSRP ignores the cost of an equivalent configured car. As their manufacturing efficiencies have gone down, the Camry hybrid premium is only $1,500. But the biased article will seek out the maximum hybrid premium vehicles.

Federal tax incentive

Although now rare, there have been articles that neglected the Federal tax savings. This led to Consumer Reports issuing a correction to an article.

State tax incentive

Not all states have them so the biased article does not list the states that do. A reporter living in a State without tax incentivies would not know about them.

Local traffic incentive

A number of jurisdictions allow HOV lane access, free parking and other advantages. The biased article does not list these hybrid benefits. However, these are not universal policies and change frequently.

Hybrid gas tax

The high cost of gas has caused millions of American drivers to start conserving fuel. They drive slower or use a smaller, gas only vehicle, so some States are seeing lower fuel tax revenue. However, this is used to claim too many hybrids are on the road. But if you add one penny to the total number of Prius that have ever been sold, you're looking at $5,000 per gallon and they all don't reside in one state. Ask how many hybrids are in that state and what the 'shortfall is.'

Insurance discount

One insurance company already offers and insurance rate discount. Indirectly, fuel saving hybrid drivers are often taking slower routes and driving in a less frantic style, which reduces the risk of tickets, accidents and ultimately, lower insurance rates.

Miles to fuel break even

The New York and San Francisco hybrid taxicabs are saving $4-5,000/year, which is money in the bank for their drivers. But the typical 'alternative' car is something the hybrid driver would never consider, just the author's red herring. Worse, only the Prius is used for comparisons even though there are other hybrids and more modern hybrids available. For example, the Toyota Camry hybrid is only $1,500 over the price of an equivalent Toyota Camry gas-only.

Used prices

As measured by Ebay completed sale prices, hybrids are holding their own and in times of rising gas prices, come in at premium prices. Used hybrids on the dealer parking lots are asking list prices for the unavailable new hybrids. Also, use Ebay completed sales. We need to do a Blue Book analysis too.

Silence about waiting lists

In most parts of the country, hybrids are only available by signing up for a waiting list. Worse, some dealers are tacking on thousands of dollars on top of the hybrid MSRP, $4,500 in Huntsville AL. This is also evident in the Ebay prices for new hybrids.

Battery costs

Invariably, the retail cost of a battery is used and from several years ago. The newer batteries are smaller, more capable and more affordable. Ebay prices for salvage batteries are never cited.

Dealer costs

Ordinary oil changes, lights, wipers, filters, brakes and tires can be handled by any repair shop. To handle error codes, a shop needs an OBD scanner with the manufacturer codes, the maintenance manuals and sense to read and understand them. Unfortunately, there are few independent shops and most of them are on the west coast but they exist. At least two Prius transaxles have been replaced outside of Toyota shops using salvage parts. It can be done and needs to be done more frequently.

Silence about automation in all cars

Open up any modern car and you'll find one or more computers operating the engine, transmission and other critical systems. Automated, expensive controllers are not unique to hybrids.

Engine wear

Hybrid engines share the load with their electric motors, which means less wear and tear. They have starter motors that are two and three times more powerful than a standard starter and no Bendix gear, they are permanently connected. Furthermore, they get the oil pressure up before supplying fuel and spark so starting is all but wear free.

Transmission wear

Electric motor power is without vibration, which reduces the vibration and mechanical stress on the transmission and drive train. They are not wearing out like equivalent automatic transmission because they don't have to deal with large power-pulses of a gas only or worse, diesel power vehicle.

Battery wear

Although their batteries are larger, they are never totally discharged or even close to overcharged. This means they stay in an operating range that gives them exceptionally long life. Batteries in spacecraft last for decades. Furthermore, the batteries have a control computer that monitors temperature and provides cooling air when they are getting too hot and heat when they are cold.

Silence about brakes

Thanks to regenerative braking, the brake shoes are lasting two and three times as long as ordinary car brakes. In fact, there is a small risk of rust in salty environments.

Silverado

Designed more as a contractor's truck with an engine driven generator, the only hybrid-like mode is auto-stop. This has only a minor impact on the vehicle City mileage and no impact on highway mileage.

Lexus

Designed for comfort, this vehicle uses the vibration free power from the motor to achieve a quiet ride. Fuel efficiency is better than the equivalent, automatic gas vehicles while matching them on the road. But they are not high MPG vehicles.

Honda Accord

This vehicle attempted to use an unusually small motor with a large engine and failed to achieve market share. It combines the price and complexity of a hybrid with the fuel efficiency of the gas vehicle.

IMA vs HSD

The Integrated Motor Assist versus the Hybrid Synergy Drive are the Honda and Toyota approaches to hybrid electrics. The IMA couples the motor directly with the engine and generally has no or very limited electric only operation. The HSD has two motors of which one can operate the vehicle in electric only mode. The IMA is simpler but limited capabilities. The HSD has more operating ranges but is more complex. As a general rule, the IMA systems do better in highway driving and the HSDs do better in urban traffic.

Diesels

The ultimate, lean-burn engine, they have had trouble meeting US emission standards and have been noisy and somewhat heavy. They are efficient at highway speeds but suffer in urban environments.

Ethenol

Just another fuel, it is only a matter of adjusting the fuel system to handle ethanol. So instead of burning up 100 acres of corn each year, the hybrids will need just 40 acres.

H(2) Fuel Cell

The fuel, H(2), comes from natural gas which could be liquified and run a vehicle directly. Converting natural gas to H(2) loses energy, reducing the well-to-wheel efficiency. Then the H(2) is a difficult gas to store and worse, has an unusually broad combustion range and burns without much visible light. The fuel cells are expensive to make, suffer from rapid aging and must work in a narrow temperature range. It remains an unproven technology except in a few, special, costly niche environments. None are for sale in local dealers.

Battery chemistry

There are poisonous and hazardous battery chemistries but today's hybrids use the relatively benign, Nickel metal Hydride chemistry. There are no reports of fires and the paste electrolyte oozes, not splatters, jets or spills. Yet apparently the millions of cell phone, flashlight and laptop batteries don't merit mention and many of them have hazardous chemicals.

Battery recycle

The nickel content makes hybrid batteries highly desirable source for raw material.

Special materials

One hybrid has an aluminum body, very recyclable. The others have steel that can be melted and recycled.

Battery hazard

Although the ordinary battery voltages, 200+ VDC, are potentially lethal, they are in a battery case with multiple, computer controlled relays to put them in series. As soon as they lose 12 VDC power or the car detects air-bag deployment in a crash, the battery relays open and the voltages are greatly reduced. All of the hybrid vendors have web pages describing how to deal with hybrid electric vehicles, which are less hazardous than a warehouse or industrial fire.

Occupant safety

All of the hybrids have at least a 4 out of 5 safety rating. In the case of the Prius, the side-impact bags bring it to 5 out of 5.

EMI fields

Several implanted heart monitors are programmed via a magnetic field. However, no one has found an EMI magnetic field higher than the ambient fields. The real hazard for heart monitor users is they have to give up arc welding.

Too quiet

There are reports that in electric mode, some hybrids are too quiet and people don't hear the car in a parking lot. At one time there was a law that all cars had to be proceeded by a flag man. Special cat collars with bells are available from pet stores and can be mounted on the front bumper.

Deminuative language

As long as the SUV and luxury hybrids are ignored, the remaining ones are five passenger cars. Cite the principle of the right tool for the right job, how many seats does a single driver require?

Political claims

So far, only the right-wing talk hosts like Rush Limbaugh claim hybrid drivers are Satan worshipers. However, polling indicates the split is 50/50/50 - Left, Right, Independent. Using the right tool for the right job is independent of politics.

Vanity claims

Apparently, unable to understand the hybrid drivers, the last resort is to claim they are vain people owning their hybrids for show. Point out that there is only one hybrid with a distinctive body style and all others look like their gas equivalent. You have to tailgate these other hybrids to find out they are hybrids.