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Originally Posted by mkaresh
Where do you read environmental impact into these figures? They supposedly represent the sum total of the energy used to develop, manufacture, operate, and dispose of a vehicle, converted into a dollar figure based on the cost of energy.
The price of the Porsche is relevant because prices will reflect the amount of energy used to develop and manufacture a vehicle, which is the subject of the report. If you buy a low volume vehicle, the energy used to sustain the engineers and designers who developed the vehicle (one of the things allegedly measured by the CNW report) is divided over fewer units. Ditto a vehicle that requires many labor hours to manufacture. Both are true of the Porsche.
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The environmental impact is in reference to hybrid owners statements that hybrids are better for the environment, because they use less energy. Based on the study, they don't use less energy, therefore they are LESS environmentally friendly. It's merely turning their own logic back on them...
As to your second point regarding developmental and manufacturing costs: I would disagree that the MSRP cost of a vehicle affects volume of sales. The Yugo was a very cheap vehicle, but didn't sell very much. (as an example only). I would agree though that units sold DOES affect the development and manufacturing costs as amortized in the study.
But, saying that just supports the study! The hybrid vehicles haven't had a large sales base yet, so all that development and manufacturing cost is divided across a comparitively small sales base, as compared to the other vehicles. Now, might these figures change as more hybrids are sold, and development of the technology continues? probably. But, that's in the future, not today. TODAY, the total cost of the vehicle is cheaper for a conventional combustion engine than for a hybrid "synergy" engine. That's what the report is showing.
I'm all for alternative energy technologies in vehicles, and I don't have a problem with initial technologies costing more, to fund future research... But don't tell me that your first generation Hybrid vehicle is better for the environment today, than my H3 is, and then bash me for my vehicle choice...
Finally, I don't see the point of bashing these folks for trying to put some perspective and research around the true numbers... how many Blogs have you done bashing the "Green" comments and arguements? For years, we've been "taking it" from the green zealots, suffering looks, gestures, and worse, because they fell for the "cult of gaia" BS, and are too mindless to do their own research. I, for one, am glad to see someone trying to put some facts and study into the "real picture".