Is it true that uranium is used in the process of making Hybrid car batteries?

Question

A friend of mine told me that she heard that the only environmental complaint about the Hybrid technology is that they use uranium in the making of the battery. Is this true or is it some modern folk tale?

Answer 1

The only way that could be true is if the auto plant making the cars/ batteries happened to be powered by a Nuclear power plant. Which, given the negative consequences of coal/ oil power plants, might not be such a bad thing.

Answer 2

No, your friend may have been thinking of the nickel in nickel metal hydride (NiMh) batteries.  It's not exactly environmentally friendly, but it's certainly not radioactive like uranium.  Your friend is confused.

Answer 3

NO.

Answer 4

no, sorry  check your sources, its probably someone trying to poke holes in the awesomeness that is hybrid (and soon plug-in cars)

Answer 5

no its not true at all but in some of the new batteries they toyed with radium but never uranium probably just a mixup

Answer 6

folk tale

Answer 7

It is not true. The current generation of hybrid batteries are Nickel Metal Hydride and the next generation of hybrid batteries are likely to be primarily Lithium polymer or Lithium ion. There is at least one company working on advanced lead-acid batteries also that look promising. Uranium is used to make nuclear weapons, armor penetrating projectiles (anti-tank rounds made from depleted uranium) and fuel for nuclear power plants and that is about it.

Answer 8

Complete nonsense.