Quote Originally Posted by uls View Post
ok

sorry

i didnt check the background of the article

but even if that article is only 50% factual, it still raises the question if the Prius is really as environment friendly as people think it is

all people see is the finished product -- a car that burns very little fuel

but people do not see what goes into making a Prius

i'm sure the production process (raw material extraction & delivery, the logistics involved in putting together the car, the energy it takes to run manufacturing facilities, etc) has a huge carbon footprint

let's even forget i posted that article

just use a little imagination

the Prius isn't as green as people think it is
Actually I am glad you posted the controversial article as I would like to find out the truth re the allegations raised. Hopefully it would lead to a healthy discussion of not only the Prius but other hybrid cars as well.

Having driven the Prius (current and previous gens), I am very impressed with its performance to the point I am considering purchasing one for my son in California next year.

My two siblings there, like so many other professionals, have swapped their cars for this hybrid. My brother went from a Hummer to the previous gen. My sis replaced her BMW X3 for the current gen.

While the Prius is quite compact, it has in fact more legroom than the Porsche Cayenne. With my 6'2" brother-in-law driving the Prius, there was more than 6" of leg space for the passenger seat directly behind him. Whereas with his Cayenne, the legroom was very cramped. My sis is able to achieve almost 50 mpg while my brother, with his pinoy-style of driving still managed 40 mpg.

In addition it has enough power to go uphill with four adults, as well as accelerate fast enough, merging into the freeway.

The economics of fuel-saving vis-a-vis the price aside, the Prius does indeed emit much less pollution. Enough for the State of California to grant the first batch carpool lane exemption (even with just the driver). Given the gridlock traffic, especially in Silicon Valley, it was a very compelling incentive.

In addition, Toyota offers a 8 years/100,000 miles full parts and labor warranty for the entire hybrid system (which includes the hybrid battery pack). For California, it is even longer (10 years/150,000 miles) for the hybrid battery and certain emissions components. The new model will even have a longer warranty.

Moreover it has several amenities - GPS, proximity key, parking sensors, etc. All which add up to a nice attractive package.

Of course, the considerations in the U.S. for purchasing the Prius are very different than those here in the Philippines. But the compelling reasons for going green exist all over the planet.

Thus the question is whether the Prius' alleged huge carbon footprint during production (as compared to other hatchbacks, I guess) is really true and if so, does it totally negate the reduction in emission during use?

Hopefully we will find out. Thanks.