Are Hybrid autos truly envonromentally friendly?

Question

Are Hybrid autos truly envonromentally friendly? What happens to all those depleted batteries when they hit the landfills? Can they be completely and safely recycled?

BILLFOXXX Environmental Warrior

Answer 1

Yes they are.  For example, a Swiss study recently determined that the Prius is the greenest car on the planet.

http://www.reuters.com/article/environme...

And yes, hybrid batteries are fully recyclable.

Q: Are hybrid batteries recyclable?

GS: Absolutely. In fact, Toyota pays a bounty to dealers who recover them from damaged vehicles. Additionally, our engineers are studying the possibility of remanufacturing these batteries.

Answer 2

What happens to all those depleted batteries? The same thing that happens to all the regular car batteries that are use for the starter in every car. They get recycled. Anyway, there are not nearly as many batteries in a hybrid as you think. Only about twice the amount as a regular starter battery like exists in EVERY car.

Answer 3

While electric hybrid cars do have lower emissions, I still can't get around the problem of our electricity production. The majority of US electric companies burn coal to generate electricity, and we're the second largest consumer of coal in the world after China. I know that electric plants have scrubbers & emission guidlines, etc., but it still seems as though the electric hybrid  just switches the pollution generation from your own home to industrialized areas - but of course it all goes into the same atmosphere. Maybe the hydrogen fuel cell cars are a better avenue?

Answer 4

Yes, they are more environmentally friendly than non-hybrid, gas-guzzling vehicles.  At least that's what all the hybrid car companies tell me.

Answer 5

I read that they actually have a bigger energy footprint over their entire lifespan. Even toyota admits it! I guess it's largely from the batteries, but not sure.

Answer 6

Hi,

speaking for Toyota, yes Bill, almost every part of a hybrid can be completely recycled. Read on for more details.

This includes the nickel metal hydride (NiMH) hybrid drive battery stack and the standard lead acid battery that are in every Prius, Camry Hybrid, Highlander Hybrid, and will be in the upcoming Sienna Hybrid.

Anyone who throws away a lead acid battery without turning it in for recycling, individual or junk/scrap yard, is committing a crime. It is against EPA regulations to contaminate land, air or water with a lead acid battery. Yes, some people do it, but some people dump old oil and bad gas down sewer drains, too.

As far as the NiMH battery stacks go, each one is stamped with an 800 number for Toyota. Each stack carries a return bounty of $200 when returned to Toyota. However, since a new NiMH stack costs $2985.13, I guarantee you that any scrap yard or mechanic that knows anything would never let a NiMH stack get away.

Imagine getting your hands on a NiMH stack from a Prius that had been in an accident. The stack would be fine (processed NiMH in those batteries is like jello and amazingly stable) and the stack could be removed for reuse.

And since there has never been a Prius owner that has had to pay to replace their NiMH battery because of defects in ten years (yes, some people have had to pay because they abused or damaged their NiMH, such as wiring in a big stereo and running a 4" s***w into the stack), the NiMH stacks just don't go bad.

Take a look at my other posts if you'd like details on how environmentally friendly a vehicle like the Prius is. That includes details on all the parts that the Prius doesn't need because of the hybrid drivetrain (no starter, no alternator, no steering pump, etc.), the myth of the NiMH batteries and the Hummer being better than the Prius (totally false), and how inexpensive, easy and better the maintenance is on a vehicle like the Prius.

Answer 7

well yea they are environmentally friendly

eventhough both uses battery, hybrid use less gas