Doubts Cast on Hybrid Efficiency - Daily Auto Insider

The Daily Auto Insider
Monday, April 3, 2006
April 2006


Driving a hybrid vehicle costs more in terms of overall energy consumed than comparable non-hybrid vehicles, according to CNW Marketing Research Inc.

The Bandon, Oregon, auto research firm says in a news release that it spent two years collecting data on the energy necessary to plan, build, sell, drive and dispose of a vehicle from initial concept to scrappage. This includes such minutia as plant to dealer fuel costs, employee driving distances, electricity usage per pound of material used in each vehicle and literally hundreds of other variables.

To put the data into understandable terms for consumers, it was translated into a "dollars per lifetime mile" figure. That is, the Energy Cost per mile driven.

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.

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, CNW claims.

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 Civics 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."

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. "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."


http://www.caranddriver.com/dailyautoinsid...-efficiency.htm

Need fewer troops to support.
Drive a hybrid.
Best tank 71.65 MPG.

Before this car I spent two years learning hypermiling on my 2004 HCH1.

Here is a link that contains the entire 248 page report:

http://www.cnwmr.com/nss-folder/automotiveenergy/

Need fewer troops to support.
Drive a hybrid.
Best tank 71.65 MPG.

Before this car I spent two years learning hypermiling on my 2004 HCH1.

who paid for the report?

The below is taken from their web site, this place if full of BS, dont ever read something like this and think its true until you see where the money is coming from, why the study was done and who benefits from the results. This is horrible.


Will you do a custom report or study?

Yes, but it requires a written request specifically outlining the information you are seeking. The request can be fax'd or e-mailed to us, but no phone requests are accepted.






How long does a custom report take?

It depends on the complexity of the request. After submitting your request, someone will let you know 1) if the information is available, 2) how much it will cost if anything, 3) how long it will take to complete the project. If the information is "off the shelf," and readily available, there frequently is no charge.






How is payment made for your services?

We don't care as long as it's legal tender. American Express, Mastercard and Visa are accepted or we can bill corporate accounts. Naturally, payment in advance is always nice.






Who pays for your studies?

CNW M/R performs syndicated studies. That doesn't mean the mob is involved, only that we perform the study and then pray someone cares about the information we've learned. This protects you from seeing information that is skewed toward a particular point of view or company or product.






Why don't you do business in Alabama?

We recognize 49 states and the District of Columbia. We do not accept business from Alabama. It'll take more than one beer for any further details.

The CNW report is just a bunch of hack with no science to back it up. it it just plain incorrect on so many levels that it's hard to begin. bottom line: if you enjoy driving your hybrid then it's worth the price you page for the car.

Read

http://www.motoring.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=3532239

i emailed the company that published the report and they claim they paid for the study out of pocket. I then asked what fills that pocket since they arent charging money for the report. . . I have not recieved a response yet.

i am not worried about how this place makes me feel about my decision, I know they are full of s*@t, its all the other people reading the articles that actually believe this stuff that I am worried about.

Sorry, but you've been fooled:

That dog don't hunt. We've already been through the report and as Toyota UK pointed out, every 'peer reviewed total energy paper states that 80% of the energy use occurs during operations, not manufacturing.' If you need the detailed problems, use the search function for "CNW" under the Journalism forum. But some of the obvious problems:

- every hybrid was given an arbitrary shorter life than their gas only equivalent although hybrids have less mechanical stress than the gas versions



- CNW claims if someone had the same model, hybrid and non-hybrid, the owner would choose to drive the more expensive to operate, lower mileage non-hybrid than the fuel efficient hybrid.

- every SUV was given an arbitrarily longer life than other gas models, in one case, nearly twice that of the other gas models (see Land Cruiser above.)

There are many more problems that others have identified and you can read them using the search function. In the meanwhile, I'm getting great mileage with complete confidence that CNW's false claims won't show up at the pump . . . or anywhere else.

Bob Wilson

Operation Iraqi Oil Freedom:

Automatic, stock, project car.

My other 1500 cc car:

Automatic, stock, backup car.
Free speech, dialog and knowledge thrives without the poison of SPAM.

Ah - it's from CNW, the folks that six months ago made the discredited report that from cradle-to-grave a Hummer is greener than a Prius.

61.5mpg lifetime - 82mpg in recent months

Best Run >
www.cleanmpg.com

"fanatic" is what the lazy call the dedicated

CNW = BS

Steve

STOP terrorism - Drive a HYBRID

Vehicles:
350 miles a week ------------ 2006 HCH II, Magnetic Pearl, w/NAVI (born on May 25, 2006)
350 miles a month ---------- 2003 Mazda Tribute ES-V6
350 miles a year (for now) - 1986 Mercedes 560SL