Last night we traded in one of our truck crossover SUV for a brand-spanking new 2009 Toyota Prius package 6 tour edition. (The benefits of the tour package, like better suspension, integrated bluetooth and GPS do not outweigh the slap in the face the leather seats give. See, a hybrid car has a certain message attached to it. Leather seats carry the opposite :) Not only is the backlog for a regular Prius six months here in the Vegas valley, the tour package 6 constitutes only 1% of all manufactured Prius making the wait for this model to be over a year from now. Back in March of this year, the regular Prius was available on the lot ready to buy but recently rising fuel costs have created a huge back order. Despite the long wait, the use of technology that decreases wastefulness and reliance of global oil makes all the waiting worth it.
Perhaps the main reason for owning a hybrid gas/electric automobile such as the Toyota Prius is it’s low fuel consumption and high millage rating of around 46 mpg. While that aspect attracts many would-be buyers for fuel savings, the average driver saves only $1500 on gas per year over a typical gasoline vehicle. If more miles are put on the Prius during that year, then the savings increase. Since we partake on out of state and in state vacations and car trips often, we think our savings will be high. The selfish reason for buying a Prius is a legitimate reason.
Another reason for owning a Prius is perhaps political. Since the Prius is a hybrid car I am guessing it uses at least half the amount of gasoline than non-hybrid cars. Less gas means less oil which means less wealth is transferred out of our pockets, out of our country and into Saudi Arabia and other oil-exporting countries. The more money that stays in this country the merrier.
The last reason that comes to mind for owning a Prius is the most vague, but also the most important reason for me. I was raised in a home where recycle, reuse and repurpose were three important ways of thinking when it comes to objects. I recycle to this day, I reuse plastic bags, and I repurpose containers and other variety of things. But perhaps the biggest waste I feel comes to driving my truck. It hurts knowing that my foot applying pressure to the gas pedal allowing a continuous supply of fuel to my trucks engine is not an efficient way to cruse the highways. Knowing that as I press the break pedal energy is escaping the trucks system makes me feel wasteful. These two system inefficiencies are now addressed in a hybrid gas-electric vehicle. The large battery in the Prius stores energy to be used when the car idles or cruises. The regenerative break system of the Prius captures otherwise wasted energy from the wheel friction and stores it in the battery. This application of battery electrical power to complement a vehicles propulsion and operation speaks of resourcefulness and mindfulness rather than of waste and unnecessary consumption of resources. It’s how I like to drive.
The downside of the Prius, besides any technical limitations like small wheels and a light-weight body is the large battery. It’s not toxic, fully recyclable and won’t contaminate a landfill. Because of this battery used to power a hybrid, it is more resource intensive to manufacture a Prius than a Hummer. Metals, like nickel have to be mined from the earth to fill the battery. However, once there are plenty of hybrids on the market the situation will change. When hybrids begin to be demolished from end of life cycle or when the batteries wear out for whatever reason then the manufacture, Toyota, will have a new resource to mine nickel from - used Prius batteries. They even have a $200 bounty on each battery! It is cheaper for Toyota to obtain the required metals from the large Prius batteries than it is to mine the metals from the ground. Once batteries start being recycled then the environmental impact of the manufacturing of a hybrid vehicle will begin to diminish. In the meantime, while using less gasoline to operate our car we will spreading a message of conscious consumerism and anti-wastefulness. We will drive ahead into the future of change that we all need. Remember, if you want to change the world then you must vote with your dollars.
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