Prius--my view

[CaptainApollo]

Boy, your Prius does not represent all. The rest of the Prius owners get better than 42 mpg in those conditions. It seems like your Prius did not like its driver.

[CaptainApollo]

No one is asking F16 to be grounded are they? You don't think that car pollution has a greater impact than F16 pollution? Now THAT's dumb. No one is arguing with you about politics so why did you bring it up? In fact, I'm not even a democrat so why do you think I'm going to care? I have news for you, CO2 is growing because the population is growing. You don't think global warming is going to affect you? Listen, higher sea temperatures = more chances for hurricanes. Why have we had so many more hurricanes this year than last? Simple, global warming. Talking about war? How about the constant battle that 17 million Americans must live through each day because they have asthma. You think a few soldiers dying every day is so dramatic, how about 82 people every day who suffocate to death because of pollution. And as for the car being fraud, you have no proof. Once again I rest my case with www.greenhybrid.com .

[CaptainApollo]

Oh and i also wonder why the National Highway Traffic SAFETY Administration would have anything to do with fuel economy figures. Doesn't seem like that is their specialty. Do you have a link for your arguement?

[mauleskyrocket]

What are you a captain of? Your Prius duracell? Global Warming is nonsense. Cyclicle weather patterns. We have always had warming and coolong. See, now I know you not smart enough to be from MS. and I know you are no republican. I know you love your Prius. Been to Talledega with it?

[mauleskyrocket]

I should add that the role of passive smoke in making the lives of people/children with hypersensitive airway disease is absolute and criminal. Anyone smoking in a public place should be tossed out on their a**.

[CaptainApollo]

Research shows direct correlation with increased amount of CO2 with increasing temperature. Unless this "cycle" is a coincidence and happens to coincide with the increasing amount of CO2, it is pretty obvious that Global Warming is real.

I also don't see how making fun of my screen name is proving any of your arguements.

And I also don't see what duracell has anything to do with this. Prius does not use duracell batteries and are far more optimized than what you try to make of it.

[mauleskyrocket]

I apologize for maligning your title. Extensive CO2 cores taken from Antartica (as in no pollution) show a continual variance in CO2 over the past 1000 years. The levels---before cars---far exceed any levels seen now. As you know Mt. St Helens is now the biggest polluter in the West of this nation. So be happy with your Prius/Duracell but please don't tell us your saving the planet Captain.

[CaptainApollo]

I'm still curious as to why you are using Duracell with the Prius.

Mt St. Helens was the biggest polluter when it erupted, but it still goes without saying that the Earth's temperature has risen in direct correlation to increasing CO2 levels on OUR part.

take a look at this
http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwa...rtainties.html
they address both our arguements, but there is evidence that at least some of the warming is due to human interference.

CO2 isn't the only thing being emitted by cars either. The rest also contribute to the greenhouse effect.

And also, the Prius is helping a lot more than you think. Its use of new materials is less damaging to the environment than conventional cars.

If you still don't think I'm right by saying the Prius will help the environment, take a trip to China. 8% of its GNP has to be used to help those who have health problems due to car pollution. Ground-level ozone is both detrimental to people as well as plants and ecosystems. http://www.epa.gov/air/urbanair/ozone/chf.html

Although this may not affect you at all, it certainly affects my friends who have actually described the effects of asthma as a result of ground-level ozone without actually knowing that car pollution was causing his difficulty to breathe.

Although CO2 output and Global warming can be debated, it is without a doubt that the Prius does more in other areas in dealing with the environment.

[mauleskyrocket]

The principal problem in China is the use of coal for their factories. Similar to the old Eastern bloc. I will grant you the Prius helps but I don't think it is the answer yet. But your heart is in the right place. As long as a conservative is in that White House---we can all be happy. Merry Christmas Captain.

[CaptainApollo]

Its true that a large portion of China's pollution is created by coal in factories and in home. However, places like San Fransisco had a cloud of smog over it when I flew in. Likewise, the friend I am talking about who has difficulty breathing because of pollution lives in Chicago.

Because the Prius uses a miller cycle engine, or atkinson, it is able to reduce the amount of exhaust drastically. It emits 90% less NOx than the average new car. (Even more if compared to diesel)

The Prius uses plant derived plastics which means it does not have to use petroleum that is harmful to the environment.

The Prius' battery is completely recyclable with mild chemicals and Toyota already has a recycling program for those batteries since Nickle is relatively valuable.

If you don't think this is the answer, do you know a better solution?

Fuel cells/Hydrogen require lots of energy to extract the Hydrogen which originates back to coal though power plants. If the whole country used hydrogen we wouldn't be able to use sunlight or water to power the process. Hydrogen is simply too inefficient compared to a gallon of gasoline. A hydrogen powered car was featured in an article, it has 2 large tanks that were stored in the trunk and it only had a range of 200 miles.

Therefore, hydrogen/fuel cells must not be what you are thinking of.

[mauleskyrocket]

I think the near future is not the hydrogen cell and not the Prius. For many people who work hard, driving is part of their relaxation and enjoyment. I think the future belongs to small and efficient gasoline engines. I think we should tax the hell out of engines larger than 2 liters. It is all that is needed. Plus---any of you who have been to western europe and rented these small liter cars----know how really enjoyable they are. You get to enjoy working the little engine and yet getting very nice mileage as well. This seems one of the area that western Europe has gotten it right. On most other things they are fools.

[CaptainApollo]

Even so, a hybrid would simply make it more efficient and more powerful. For an 87 hp gasoline engine, pulling 2890 lbs of Prius from 0-60 in 10 seconds is all but unachievable without the power electric motor. And albeit you were not able to recieve the supposed FE figures, it would still be more efficient than using an 87 hp gasoline engine alone.

[mauleskyrocket]

You are right. I guess I really disliked driving the Prius. Too much attention to overt mpg for me.

[mauleskyrocket]

Spoke to a present/recent owner who took one on a trip and broke down. He was not happy with the wait for parts which you would think would be in stock. Apparantly the unique parts re the Prius are not everywhere.

[statultra]

mauleskyrocket u dont have a prius, if u did wheres the pictures?? and furthermore your full of nonsense you immature person. Look at you you dont even look at the facts


FACTS are that MOST owners are getting 48 mpg,

Dont compare prius to VW TDI's because PRIUS IS MUCH LARGER,

PRIUS has a more POWERFUL powertrain

and

PRIUS is something mauleskyrocket doesnt have or did have