Question about hybrid/electric

[stubertmcfly]

At the risk of setting off a flurry of flamage, I have a question about hybrid/electric cars.

I have been leaning toward these for awhile but have not yet made the leap. My question stems from the sheer fact that yes, while these cars reduce dependence on foreign oil (perhaps), aren't they an environmental nightmare in other ways? Batteries wear out and, unless I am mistaken, are hellish on the environment. Electric cars still rely on fossil fuels in most cases and merely displace the pollution to a central location (unless you set up a solar array at home). And there is still the battery issue.

Wouldn't bio-diesel and (obviously) limiting driving be better solutions in the short-term until battery technology changes?

I am just trying to figure all of this out as this is one of those catch-22 situations in my opinion. What is the lesser evil?

[JanMichael]

1. Skip the hybrids and go with an AirCar.

Here!

[FloridaPat]

2. I had a diesel once. Maybe they've gotten better. I was in upstate NY

at the time. The car was a VW Rabbit. It had no power going up hills on the interstate. You can imagine a regular road. I would actually loose power. Mileage was great -45 to 50. Finding diesel sometimes was scary because not all gas stations carry diesel. And the colder it got the harder it was to start the car. When I went to Chicago, I had a lot of stuff on top of the car. Could barely go over 50 the entire trip on the interstates.

As for batteries, how many do we through away each day even with the crappy things we buy that need batteries to run them. Any car has a battery issue.

[acmejack]

5. The TDI is much improved

The diesel Rabbit has the distinction of the record for the slowest 0 -60 time. The TDI's are getting 50, I'm told.

[LostinVA]

7. have a GOLF TDI -- It's nothing like that

Frisky on the hills, and I'll say about 70-80% of the local stations sell diesel, and soon will also have biodiesel. Yay!!! Also, unless you live in Alaska, it should turn over fine in cold weather.

I do mainly highway and back roads driving (90-955%), so the TDI made much more sense to me than a hybrid. Better gas mileage and soon little fossil fuel consumption. Yay!!!

[lectrobyte]

3. mass transit would be better, but a hybrid such as a Prius or

Civic seems to make a lot of sense to me. Uses as little oil as possible, and I think the batteries are recyclable.

[montanacowboy]

4. Prius batteries last the life of the car

100K plus miles - also the whole battery does not need to be replaced, only cells of the battery - only needs oil change every 5-7000 miles; uses almost NO gas at all in city driving.

I love my Prius, I have yet to use any gas in it since I mostly use it for city driving - I havehad a full tank of gas for over a month.

[MadisonProgressive]

6. I can't wait - mine ships soon!!

[stubertmcfly]

8. that is good to know...

... i would hope the car would last longer than 100K though. One other question I have about the Prius is the mountain driving. I commute daily up and down about 3000 feet of elevation (each way). I wonder how well it does in these driving conditions.

[Bigmack]

9. Washington to California...

lots of mountains. No problem.

I'm counting on 100K miles, and they recycle the batts. By the time I have 100K on it, I'll bet the Repubs blessed "market" will have some alternatives.

I love my Prius like the fundies love Dumbya.