SustainLane - Are Hybrids Really Good for the Environment?

June 2008
Edition 58

Greetings!

Are hybrid cars really good for the environment? It depends on what you compare them to. Looking at the complete lifecycle of any product, let alone a car, from raw materials to eventual disposal or reuse is incredibly complicated. What's a poor information-starved enviro to do?

Looks like we'll have to send this question out to the SustainLane network of thinkers! Keep reading to see who prefers hybrids, who prefers used compacts, who likes Toyota and who likes Honda.

Get some great tips on how to increase your gas mileage and decrease your car's carbon footprint whether it's a hybrid or not, and get the final word on the Hybrid vs. Hummer debate.

Battling Reviews: Hybrid vs. Small

A hybrid engine gets better gas mileage than its non-hybrid equivalent, but not all engines are created equal. Is it always better to buy a hybrid, or can a new or used compact get equivalent gas mileage and also have a smaller footprint in general?

Hybrid Cars Rule!

Lexus RX Hybrid
Five Stars

"After years of filling the tank on my Yukon Denali twice a week, I now smile and wave as I pass by the cars lined up to buy gas. Even with the smaller gas tank in my RX, I get more than double the miles per gallon and therefore fill up only about every 10 days. In addition to great gas mileage, the car drives like a dream. Driving on battery..." click here for more

Small is the Way to Go!

'91 Nissan Sentra
Five Stars

"I have a beat up red '91 Sentra that's been through hell and high water. I have an obsession with Nissan Sentras that i just can't kick. You see, they're the best kept secret in the world of fuel efficiency. For highway miles this little car pulls 45 and 1/2 per gallon and its sixteen years old. Why did..." click here for more

What do you think? Do you prefer small cars or hybrids? How about small hybrids? Write a review at SustainLane.com and tell everyone about your experience!

Eco-Driving Tips - How to be a Hypermiler

A hypermiler is a person who exceeds the EPA estimated fuel efficiency on their vehicles by modifying their driving habits (a condition also known as nenpimania). Want to know how you can catch the bug too?

1. Drive less. That may seem unfair, but no matter how efficiently you drive, your car is consuming energy. The best way to get the most mileage out of your car is not to use it when you don't have to.

2. Maintain your car. Checking your tires, oil and engine regularly can result in as much as a 10% more fuel efficient vehicle.

3. Shift up as soon as possible. The higher gear you are driving in, the less work your engine needs to do to maintain the same speed.

4. Coast as much as possible. Every time you apply your brakes, you lose valuable forward inertia, resulting in lower gas mileage. Step off the gas a little earlier than you usually would and coast as far as you can before applying your brakes.

WARNING: ADVANCED DRIVERS ONLY

5. Pulse and Glide. A method of driving where you speed up to 10 mph over your chosen speed, then step off the gas and coast down to 10 mph below your chosen speed. The catch: for this technique to work, your car's engine must be off during the coast. This works great in hybrids, since the engine shuts off automatically when you aren't stepping on the gas. It's a little harder in a standard vehicle. For more information on the pulse and glide technique, click here.

Gas Saving Myths

Drafting. People believe that by driving directly behind another car (or big rig) their car will experience less wind resistance, resulting in better gas mileage. While drafting is real, the only way to achieve the intended result is to drive dangerously close to the vehicle in front as the Mythbusters clearly demonstrated. We say leave this one to the NASCAR professionals.

Battling Businesses: Toyota vs. Honda

The age of the Japanese auto maker has dawned. 2007 marked the first year in history that a foreign auto company, Toyota, sold the most total vehicles in the US. Honda isn't far behind. The ever popular Civic was barely beaten by the Toyota Camry as best sold model in the US, and the Civic Hybrid is once again poised to rival the Prius in US sales. Which will reign supreme?

Honda is Better! Five Stars

"This 1st edition Civic Hybrid has a modest electric motor wedged between the 1.3L gas engine and the CVT transmission. The electric motor kicks in when accelerating or hill climbing, otherwise it's mainly a gas driven car. The brakes convert kinetic energy..." click here for more

Toyota is Better!
Five Stars

"It has been 1 year since I purchased my Camry Hybrid. I love this vehicle! It has a quiet smooth ride and gets 38 to 40 mpg. It is a great looking mid-size car and of course I ordered mine in a great green color. The sticker..." click here for more

What do you think? Is your vote for Toyota or Honda? Happy with both? Write a review at SustainLane.com and let everyone know!

Hybrids vs. Hummers

In 2007, research company CNW Marketing Research Inc. published a report called "Dust to Dust: The Energy Cost of New Vehicles From Concept to Disposal," claiming that when all was said and done, a hybrid car is worse for the planet then a Hummer. The report was widely covered in the press, and even received mentions in pop culture. Bit is it true?

The long and short: No, no, and no (should we go on?).

E-mail us at community@sustainlane.com with your thoughts or share it with our community on SustainLane.com.

Staff Pick: Toyota Prius

Back when Al Gore gave the big three American car companies $1.5 billion taxpayer dollars to develop a hybrid vehicle, Toyota decided it was time to do the same thing: out of pocket. Despite the fact that it took years for Toyota to profit from the Prius, they are now light years ahead of Detroit in both design and sales. Know why? Keep reading.

Click for Toyota Prius

The Toyota Hybrid ROCKS!

"My wife and I traded in our two old cars, and purchased a Toyota Hybrid about a year and a half ago. We've both owned nice cars, but the Prius is by far the best auto we've ever driven. Not only does it get 50 mpg, but also they've thought of everything, heated seats, great sound system, and smooth ride... and because we can see whether the Prius is running on gas or on electricity, we like to see who can get better numbers when we drive! I usually get..." click here to read more