Hybrid Mania and Other Democrat Delusions

Sundry of my Democrat friends (along with a sprinkling of Republicans) and I have a running debate about the efficacy of Hybrid cars such as the Toyota Prius as compared to conventional internal combustion engines. Gaia only knows why. To me, the math seems so straightforward as to obviate the necessity of taking the whole concept more than once around the track. Bottom line, the economics don't work, there is little evidence that there's any reduction in pollution, and significant evidence that it actually makes things worse. Kind of like Biofuels, but without Archer Daniel Midland's goons hanging over your shoulder, or greasing the palm of your congressman.

Here's the reality of Hybrids from the perspective of this layperson:

- You pay an extra $8,000.00 in addition to the sixteen grand you would normally pay in order to have a vehicle with the performance characteristics of a Prius.

- If you're extremely lucky, you realize an improvement in gas mileage from roughly 30 mpg to 50 mpg; So, if you realize 66% greater efficiency, instead of using 15,000 miles/30 mpg = 500 gallons of gas, you would instead use 15,000/50 = 300 gallons of gas. At $2.50/gal., that would be 200 gallons x $2.50 = or $500.00 per year saved; over 5 years, that would be $2,500.00 saved on gasoline compared to a gas powered vehicle.

At this point, my question is not whether I covered the opportunity cost of that lost eight grand that I dispensed five years prior, which at 8% simple interest would have netted me $3,755.00. No, I would be at least $4,245.00 in the hole.

Nor is my question about whether the resale value of my car once it's carrying around about 700 pounds of toxic dead weight that has to be replaced will be enough to offset the cost of replacing those batteries. It won't, since replacing the batteries is going to cost at least $3,000.

Nor is my question about the disposal cost to get rid of that 700 pounds of batteries and where they will go? Landfill? Recycled somehow? If so, by whom and at what additional cost? Let's err on the low side and say disposal costs half as much to recycle as to replace, or $1,500.

Nor is my question whether the CO2 generated in the production, operation AND disposal of those batteries was less than the CO2 saved by burning 1,000 less gallons of gas over the five year life of those batteries. I'm going to guess that no, there was no reduction in CO2.

No, my question is: why didn't we discuss all these questions before California was allowed to lead the entire nation by its nose by incenting the purchase of Hybrids and discouraging the purchase of regular gasoline powered cars?

The answer is straightforward. Just as is the case with blocking oil exploration so as not to befoul their ocean view, not having any petrochemical plants despoiling their precious atmosphere, nor allowing any pollution belching power plants to be built near their tender orifices, Californians are more than happy to dump the consequences of their power hoggery on the rest of America. The monumental hypocrisy of consuming far more energy per capita than the rest of the nation while demanding the most stringent pollution controls on the producers of that energy boggles the mind.

The consequence of their actions is yet another wound to our domestic auto industry. The mad pursuit of Hybrid Cars is a total fraud, but since it's mandated by California and now the Federal government, the Big Three are forced to jump through more hoops and divert precious capital and engineering resources into this asininity. Likewise with Flex Fuel vehicles and the pursuit of Ethanol, another fraud that will benefit Archer Daniels Midland, but push GM and Chrysler closer to oblivion.

Democrat industrial policy is a pinball machine, our industry is the pinball, and Democrat politicians are the proverbial "deaf, dumb and blind kid, that sure plays a mean pinball". With their Crazy Flipper Fingers, they mandate Hybrid cars, Flex Fuel, mindless emissions standards, auto safety overkill and the mandatory use of the UAW. It's a wonder to me that the Big Three produces any cars at all, much less keeps their sanity. It's also a wonder to me that their CEOs will sit there like a bunch of neutered cattle at the hearings tomorrow, hat in hand and meekly asking for a handout, when they should be giving to their Democrat inquisitors at least as good as they get.

Time to call a spade a spade.