How can hybrids save us if it takes so much energy to build them?

Question

It takes gas to get the raw materials to build the car, gas to put the parts together, etc...

Answer 1

The savings comes from the decreased fuel consumption once you've bought the car. No one technology can save us from dependence on fossil fuels – even hydrogen right now comes from natural gas. But we can each do our part to conserve and make what supplies we do have last for as long as possible.

On hybrid batteries:

Toyota offers an 8-year, 100,000-mile warranty on the batteries in the Prius. According to a Toyota spokesman, the list price for a Prius battery is $3,000, but they haven't had to sell one yet.

On ozone pollution:

Ozone does not come from batteries. It is formed when heat in the form of sunlight interacts with nitrogen oxide and other pollutants found in vehicle emissions to produce smog. Because of their electric batteries which can be used to start the car rolling, the Prius reduces smog-forming emissions by 90 percent compared with an ordinary vehicle, the Camry hybrid by 80 percent. Also, while ozone is a health hazard at ground level, it is not a greenhouse gas.

Answer 2

don't buy american hybrids they are a total waste of everyone's money and natural resources. Europe is about 50 years ahead in hybrid technology - in France, they have a car that runs on compressed air- the byproduct is air- and the energy for compression can come from stored wind power or solar.

Answer 3

by using the same energy to put them together as the gas guzzlers, yet they only use 1/3 less fuel to operate.

Answer 4

They don't save us. One of my parent's friend's told us that you need to get a new battery every few years and the battery is $2,000. Plus you don't even save that much gas.

Answer 5

on the otherside... hybrids have DC motors which produce ozone another greenhouse gas... so they save fuel but polute anyways.
Since I dispute the existence of global warming, I don't care what anyone drives... its none of my business.