I decided once I get a stable job and start shopping for a new car that I would have to get a hybrid, but then I realized I have no idea if hybrids are actually good for the environment.

I don't think they would be bad, but I wouldn't be surprised if the ended up not making a difference at all, like they were a fad car and companies just use the whole global warming thing to sell more of them.

Good?

No.

Do they cause less impact?

Yes

They're a step in the right direction

They produce less emissions and use less carbon fossil fuel. So yes, definitely better then normal cars.

(Some argument has been made to say that they cause equal damage to the enviornment when you factor in creation costs, but I'm not knowledgeable enough about this theory one way or the other)

No, current electrical cars of all types actually pollute more then normal fully fuel based ones. When the technology advances a little more they will be actually viable. Like most "environmentally friendly" things currently on the market.

this part. Tis true.



the batteries are also fucking horrible for the environment and are dead in about 7(?) years.

This post was edited by guywhosebrother on Nov 21 2012 01:21am

Regular car batteries need to be replaced twice as often and aren't great for the environment either.

Of course, the hybrid (and full electric) batteries are bigger so they pollute more than the 2 regular car batteries combined, but it's not like avoiding hybrids takes away the battery aspect of your car's pollution altogether.

yeah when I asked if they were good I meant in relation to other cars.

And the thing about creation costs is the kind of thing I was wondering about. Like the fine print that means they're no better than regular cars.

It's borderline fraudulent how they are marketed, but in the long term?

They are better than fossil fuel run vehicles.

Agreed, think it comes down to the lesser of two evils.

I think there's some misconception here about "hybrid" cars. Hybrids ARE fully fossil fuel run vehicles, and NOT electric cars. You put gas in them like a regular car, and they run on it. They just use some advanced technologies to be more fuel-efficient, which includes using an electric motor under certain circumstances. But the electricity they use is generated by the car itself, and ultimately still comes from gas.