Terrific also means terrible. And that's what this article is.

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/editorials/1100027274/

I wrote a little note for them, it reads:

Dear Bob Elton,

Your article regarding hybrids contains much vague and false information. Basically everything you have said directly contradicts "the truth" about hybrids. How large is a large premium? How can you compare the Prius to another car when it is so different in size and standard features it comes with? Although increased fuel mileage may or may not make a driver a better environmental citizen, with the Prius it is most certainly true. Prius has plant derived plastics which don't use petroleum which is harmful to the environment. Prius has a bladder that reduces emissions that fume out of the gas tank. Prius uses a miller cycle engine which produces much less exhaust! Even your arguement about the environmental effects of discarded batteries can be refuted by the fact that Toyota has a recycling program in case one of them ever dies. The EPA's test of the city portion is only accomplished in battery-only mode with the Prius. And at that, it will HAVE to recharge after about a minute or two. The test DEFINATELY does consider the fuel needed to recharge the batteries. For the Honda Accord Hybrid, it is required to accelerate WITH the gasoline engine, and also needs to breach 10 mph before the engine will shut off at a full stop. A hybrid's power train may add 10% to the weight of a car. But compared to WHAT? Compared to itself without the power train? SURE. What about the weight of a gear box, clutch, transmission, etc that the Prius DOES NOT need? There's "roughly" 10% of the weight of a car that is NOT used. Hybrid engines dont use several large batteries either. Quite simply they use one and they do not weigh a couple hundred pounds. Also your arguement about rescue workers was pretty much refuted months ago by Toyota. They already said that during an accident the car automatically shuts off the voltage and the cables are very clearly marked with thick, bright orange casing. They also run UNDERNEATH the car so safety workers would not even have a chance to be affected. I believe your article is based solely on misconceptions rather than pure truth as you have no support or specifics to your arguements. I will be posting your article on the hybrid forums. Of course my arguement mostly stands on the Prius because that's where most of my research is. I will let other people who know more about the other hybrids explain their case to you.

A Prius a day keeps the doctor away!

I wrote my own correction note for him.

Wonder if he'll respond?

Efficient drivers do it better.
1003 miles a tank personal record. 74MPG calculated. HCH1 CVT

Man...he has many vague pronoun references as well....that transmit his bias more. Unintentional...hmm, probably not. I think i may write a rebuttle myself but only about technical details that were misleading. Also...flare, doesnt the Prius run on a atkinson cycle?
Cheers,
Steven

Hidden Views Photography

The site is clearly about high-performance cars. Anything that simply excels at "doing what you need it to" and not getting you from 0 to 60 in 3 seconds is not up his alley. That's his truth. Whatever. Let him have it.

I do have to take issue with assertions that hybrid owners have to give up on options. The top option packages on the Prius make the top option packages on other comparable products like Camry and Accord look bad.

I really wish I'd held out for nav and Bluetooth, the more I think about it....

I think what bothers me the most about this article, aside from the factual misrepresentations, is that the author immediately assumes and generalizes that people who buy hybrid cars are not otherwise concerned about their overall personal environmental impact. I believe in most cases this is simply not true.

I am tempted to consider the general political leanings of hybrid car owners and I would think that, for the most part, they are very concerned about environmental and social issues and their hybrid vehicles are one piece of their overall "consume less" modus operandi.

Personally, I have driven ultra fuel-efficient vehicles since I traded in the clunker my parents got me when I turned 18. I have had two VW Golf diesels (42/49 mpg) and am so far exceptionally pleased with my new HCH. I live in a city where driving is an unfortunate necessity (very spread out, poor bus service) and therefore I believe it is essential to own the most fuel efficient cars possible. Highest possible level of environmental harmony has always ranked highest my list of things I require in a new vehicle.

http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionar...kinson%20Cycle

http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionar...Miller%20cycle

The links confirm that Mazda uses the Miller cycle and that the Prius uses the Atkinson cycle, just as I remembered.

You guy will forgive me but the linked article is not that bad and makes several good points. The pack in my Civic is just one pack but it contains 120 individual cells. The Toyota has more cells still. The fact that Toyota recycles does not change the fact that energy was required to make the cells in the first place.

If you ripped all the hybrid stuff out of an HCH the car would have less power but it would also be lighter just Bob said. There would also be more trunk space by 10 inches. You really can't do anything like that with a Prius as it is a hybrid from the ground up but the HCH could easily be converted to a pure ICE only car. I'm sure the hybrid version is better but only slightly so.