Hybrids Consume More Energy in Lifetime Than Chevrolet's Tahoe SUV

Hybrids Consume More Energy in Lifetime Than Chevrolet's Tahoe SUV

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060331/sff031.html?.v=38

BANDON, Ore., March 31 /PRNewswire/ -- As Americans become increasingly interested in fuel economy and global warming, they are beginning to make choices about the vehicles they drive based on fuel economy and to a lesser degree emissions.

But many of those choices aren't actually the best in terms of vehicle lifetime energy usage and the cost to society over the full lifetime of a car or truck.

CNW Marketing Research Inc. 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.

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.

While neither of those figures is surprising, it is interesting that driving a hybrid vehicle costs more in terms of overall energy consumed than comparable non-hybrid vehicles.

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.

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.

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 Civic 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.

"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."

The goal of overall worldwide energy conservation and the cost to society in general -- not just the auto buyer -- can often be better addressed by being aware of a car or truck's "dust to dust" energy requirements, he said.

This study is not the end of the energy-usage discussion. "We hope to see a dialog begin that puts educated and aware consumers into energy policy decisions," Spinella said. "We undertook this research to see if perceptions (about energy efficiency) were true in the real world."

Full List
Source: CNW Marketing Research, Inc.

Dust to Dust
Model Energy Cost Per Mile
=====================
Maybach $11.582
Phaeton $11.213
Rolls-Royce $10.660
Bentley $10.555
allroad quattro $5.595
A8 $4.964
A6 $4.963
LS 430 $4.734
Carrera GT $4.528
NSX $4.453
GS 430 $4.416
Q45 $4.243
Cayenne $4.146
Touareg $4.134
Lamborghini $4.009
S-Type $3.989
SLK class $3.982
Ferrari $3.962
M45 $3.876
GS 300 $3.861
GT $3.851
Range Rover $3.775
G class $3.711
Sequoia $3.672
S class $3.669
CLS class $3.668
H1 $3.505
CLK class $3.492
DTS $3.471
Armada $3.450
SC 430 $3.407
DeVille $3.385
XC90 $3.325
E class $3.313
RX330 $3.306
Seville $3.305
Excursion $3.304
80 series $3.301
Accord Hybrid $3.295
XLR $3.276
Prius $3.249
Civic Hybrid $3.238
LX 470 $3.229
Boxster $3.224
Escalade ESV $3.197
Land Cruiser $3.184
Escape Hybrid $3.178
STS $3.175
Corvette $3.158
5 Series $3.140
Suburban $3.134
Yukon XL $3.132
Expedition $3.058
XK $3.058
Maserati $3.055
FX35/45 $3.029
Aston Martin $3.028
H2 $3.027
R class $2.960
Insight $2.939
Tahoe $2.937
50 series $2.937
Yukon $2.936
7 Series $2.936
MDX $2.845
911 Carrera 4 $2.830
XJ $2.785
SRX $2.782
Pacifica $2.780
TT $2.768
RL $2.762
Town Car $2.756
Escalade $2.753
911 Carrera $2.738
Z8 $2.733
M3 $2.727
Golf/GTI $2.697
Savana/G Van $2.692
Titan $2.691
Econoline/Club Wagon $2.686
GX 470 $2.686
SL Coupe/Roadster $2.686
Navigator $2.617
L series $2.534
CL class $2.533
Discovery $2.525
Murano $2.510
Tundra $2.509
Highlander $2.490
LR3 $2.489
Ram pickup $2.484
Z4 $2.483
QX4 $2.483
Express/G Van $2.482
70 series $2.482
RX8 $2.482
M class $2.482
Freestyle/Windstar $2.481
Silverado $2.450
Sierra $2.450
SSR $2.442
Range Rover Sport $2.420
Sprinter Van $2.420
Civic $2.420
HHR $2.397
Rendezvous $2.392
F Series $2.392
X5 $2.368
Aviator $2.347
G6 $2.342
Mountaineer $2.336
EuroVan/T4 $2.294
Industry Straight Average $2.281
Classic $2.269
60 series $2.269
QX56 $2.269
Ram Van $2.267
6 Series $2.267
Lotus $2.267
Odyssey $2.267
Outlander $2.266
X3 $2.264
Montego $2.264
LaCrosse $2.245
B9 Tribeca $2.240
Montana SV6 $2.239
Impreza $2.225
Grand Am $2.224
Pathfinder $2.220
Town & Country $2.218
Tucson $2.215
Tribute $2.212
Terraza $2.212
Fusion $2.202
Milan $2.202
Pilot $2.197
Zephyr $2.196
Envoy $2.196
Econoline van $2.195
4Runner $2.193
350Z $2.193
Caravan/Grand Caravan $2.181
Sienna $2.180
Accord $2.180
Rainier $2.180
Montero $2.177
Viper $2.176
9-7X $2.169
Stratus $2.165
Venture $2.144
Relay $2.143
Montana $2.142
Montero Sport $2.123
TL $2.122
Quest $2.118
Uplander $2.117
A3 $2.096
Eclipse Spyder $2.079
Freestar $2.069
Monterey $2.069
Passat $2.052
Escalade EXT $2.048
Jetta wagon $2.046
CL $2.022
Xterra $2.022
Eclipse $2.021
Santa Fe $2.019
Magnum $2.019
Five Hundred $2.018
LS $2.017
Jetta $2.016
GTO $1.995
Optima $1.994
Sedona $1.994
Sonata $1.980
Avalanche $1.978
Torrent $1.974
Endeavor $1.974
Charger $1.974
Celica $1.969
Avalon $1.967
Maxima $1.966
300/300M $1.961
Camry $1.954
MPV $1.953
Escape $1.950
H3 $1.949
Mariner $1.948
RAV4 $1.948
Mark LT $1.944
Diamante $1.932
Malibu $1.919
Baja $1.909
Trooper $1.909
X-Type $1.908
Verona $1.908
Mini Cooper S $1.908
RSX $1.908
40 series $1.897
Solstice $1.880
ES 330 $1.852
I30/I35 $1.851
Legacy $1.849
Vue $1.847
IS 300 $1.833
Beetle $1.828
Forester $1.825
Equinox $1.821
Ridgeline $1.807
Element $1.807
Millenia $1.802
Lucerne $1.802
Mazda6 $1.796
Mini Cooper $1.795
Bonneville $1.782
G35 $1.777
A4/S4 $1.774
Intrepid $1.772
Mustang $1.758
Axiom $1.735
TSX $1.725
Safari $1.725
Astro $1.725
C class $1.699
MR2 Spyder $1.683
CTS $1.680
Mazda5 $1.679
Freelander $1.674
9-3 $1.636
330 $1.616
PT Cruiser $1.612
Park Avenue $1.556
9-2 $1.553
Aztek $1.542
Rodeo $1.542
Concorde $1.531
Ascender $1.531
Commander $1.531
325 $1.531
9-5 $1.529
Monte Carlo $1.506
Grand Cherokee $1.495
CR-V $1.478
XL-7 $1.477
Thunderbird $1.477
MX-5 Miata $1.471
Galant $1.465
Grand Prix $1.465
Century $1.455
S2000 $1.455
Sable $1.447
Taurus $1.446
Tiburon $1.439
Durango $1.429
Grand Marquis $1.418
Crown Victoria $1.417
Grand Vitara $1.414
Explorer $1.404
626 $1.397
Altima $1.381
LeSabre $1.372
TrailBlazer $1.363
Impala $1.357
Crossfire $1.323
Sorento $1.320
Blazer $1.295
Firebird $1.287
Camaro $1.286
XG350 $1.285
Sebring $1.283
Canyon $1.283
Sonoma $1.283
Amanti $1.263
Vitara $1.257
Rodeo Sport $1.225
Sportage $1.168
Regal $1.167
Frontier $1.160
Tacoma $1.147
Colorado $1.125
Raider $1.124
Liberty $1.099
B-Series $1.088
Dakota $1.014
Cobalt $1.013
Matrix ** $1.011
Vibe $1.011
Mazda3 $0.980
Ranger $0.968
Rio $0.964
Sentra $0.962
Aerio $0.888
Lancer $0.872
Spectra $0.864
Accent $0.852
tC $0.845
Forenza $0.840
Focus $0.803
S10 $0.779
Protégé $0.772
Aveo $0.765
Sunfire $0.758
Cavalier $0.757
xA $0.736
Corolla $0.732
Neon $0.728
Elantra $0.723
Ion $0.709
Echo $0.703
Tracker $0.694
Wrangler $0.604
Escort $0.568
xB $0.478

 

What they are trying to say is not how much it costs to produce, it's how much energy is used (spent) to make something - as Oski2005 pointed out. If I need to burn a bunch of coal or create a bunch of nuclear waste to generate enough electricity that is needed to create the car, I'm not sure that is a better way - or at least it's not as clear cut as some would have you to believe.

Unless they find a better way (not less expensive) to manufacture these cars and dispose of these cars, they will always cost the environment more than they save. And I hope they have a good plan in place for battery disposal/recycle.

By the way - I'm not a GM man. I'm one of those Honda/Toyota people. And I'm not for everyone driving SUVs. I just think this is more information if someone wants to see the big picture.

 

I agree that I don't see how planning costs factor in since this is about energy costs. Unless they mean the energy to create prototypes but I would think that those costs would be relatively low. And I would hope that all factors were taken into account such as how much energy it takes to covert a barrel of oil into gas and how much gas is saved on a hybrid.

The article as I read it was saying that basically some of these "green" cars require more energy to make, run and destroy than some SUVs. Creating energy (not including solar or wind since they are a very small part) creates pollution. So if it takes more (lets say electrical) energy to create the parts for a hybrid, you are creating more air pollution or nuclear waste since most electricity is created by coal burning or nuclear plants. Robbing Peter to pay Paul kind of thing.

I didn't mean this to be a D&D article. I just thought it was interesting - assuming it wasn't funded by the Auto Industry.