Toyota Prius: Toyota answers hybrid sceptics

Pro-hybrid or pro-diesel? The argument has waged for years and there's no sign of it easing. But if you don't fully understand the pros and the cons, you can't balance the respective sides of the argument.

Toyota is bound to be a vocal and partisan supporter of hybrids -- the company builds them for profit, after all. Nevertheless, Toyota has considerable support from the environmental lobby, and that in itself is telling.

At the launch of the latest Prius (more here), Toyota's Senior Executive Director for Sales & Marketing, David Buttner, went on the front foot, explaining to journalists that Toyota's own research found hybrids to be better for the environment in the longer term.

"According to TMC [Toyota Motor Corporation]," said Buttner, "Prius emits 35 per cent fewer carbon dioxide emissions than a comparable petrol-engine vehicle.

"That equates to a reduction in CO2 emissions of seven-and-a-half tonnes during 100,00km of driving.

"Slightly more CO2 is emitted during the production phase.

"But TMC has calculated that the equation moves in favour of Prius after just 20,000km -- which many people in Australia would cover in just one year's driving."

The chart provided by TMC (pictured), shows that the exotic materials used in Prius production are more CO2-intensive than heavier but more mundane materials used in the production of conventional cars. Plus, the actual process of manufacturing the Prius emits more CO2 emissions, but that is quickly offset by the lower levels of CO2 liberated during fuel production, over the life of the car.

Toyota is also reducing the CO2 emissions during vehicle production, with the new Prius built in a high-tech facility featuring photovoltaic cells (pictured) to provide half the power the factory requires to operate, from the sun. The plant, at Tsutsumi in Japan, is one of five 'sustainable' plants run by Toyota. Water discharged by the plant into the nearby river is five times cleaner than the river water itself.

With the reduced quantity of fuel combusted over a typical ownership period of 100,000km, the Prius not only hauls in the conventional car for lower CO2 emissions, the Toyota leaves it behind. As the chart shows, TMC calculates a 35 per cent difference in total CO2 emissions over a 10-year cycle, inclusive of vehicle production, fuel production and use.

This is based on a comparison against a conventional petrol vehicle and is limited to CO2 emissions, but the hybrid is also cleaner running than diesels where it concerns nitrogen oxide emissions (see our report here).

So what else then? There's the matter of nickel production, which is environmentally damaging -- and an essential element in the production of the nickel-metal hydride batteries fitted to the Prius. According to reports, the nickel factory at Sudbury in the Ontario province of Canada was an environmental nightmare, one which was so devastated, NASA allegedly used it as a surrogate moonscape for astronaut training. Closer investigation reveals that the environmental damage due to the factory's operations predated Prius production by many years and the operators of the facility have cleaned up the area in recent times.

An article originally appearing in British newspaper, the Mail on Sunday, was removed from the paper's website following receipt of correspondence from a reader who took exception to the substance of the article. The publishers provided the following explanation and reproduced the letter that prompted the review of the article:

Toyota has a battery-recycling program in place and the nickel is said to be easily recovered during the process (more here).

Possibly the most intriguing argument mounted against the Prius in particular, and hybrids in general, was the one that attempted to convince consumers that the Hummer H1 was kinder to the environment than the Prius. Various authorities have debunked this study and a fairly succinct broadside is delivered here by American environmental lobby the Pacific Institute.

This curious 'study', which originated with a market research company, has also been refuted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Rocky Mountains Institute and Argoinne Labs. The Carsales Network understands that, to date, Toyota has requested to see the report in full on numerous occasions, but the research company has not complied and nor has it revealed who funded the study in the first instance.

The view from the bleachers

Here's a selection of views from our readers, a couple in support of hybrids and two others that are opposed.

It is very expensive for a small car and for the amount of energy that it takes to make it, is hardly anything but a marketing ploy. Also, what happens in 10 years when you have millions of batteries lying around that we have to dispose of? Not very environmentally friendly.
Heath

I just used my $25k to buy an ex-government fleet Toyota Prius I-Tech, so instead of getting around in a featureless, boring small car -- I'm sitting in leather; touch screen satnav is telling me where to go; a reverse camera screen is helping me park; Bluetooth phone interrupts my nine-speaker JBL premium sound system when a call comes through, whilst I'm in cruise control holding my leather bound steering wheel getting an average of 4.4L/100km (ie a $50 tank of fuel gets me 1000km). Hybrids are brilliant but I agree with you, cost wise now, the average Joe can't see any point in buying a new one. But, buying a used one is the best value ever!
Josh

When you consider the effect on the environment, making and disposing of the batteries and their lifespan and the cost of replacement, it is not feasible. Studies show that the Prius is not all that it is cracked up to be. Many have had the wool pulled over their eyes.
Andrew

Many companies bag Toyota/Lexus -- I think -- because they did not think of it first. Yes, the LS600hL is a bit over the top but if it was EASY to do better with a "DiesOtto and frugal electric drive" why hasn't [Mercedes-Benz] got one for sale today?
[Head of AFCC], Andreas Truckenbrodt's argument about one litre of petrol being equivalent to 22 litres of battery volume is rubbish of course, because you cannot "reverse" a petrol motor to produce petrol in the same way as you can reverse an electric motor to easily become a generator to regain some of the electricity to be reused. Petrol is burnt once and that's it, gone to CO2. And, no I do not own a Prius!
Alan

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