Alfred,
Step Down Transformer

The question we must ask ourselves why is this obvious truth being challenged, except to make a fictional case against buying hybrids. Hybrids are the wave of the future and if the buying public understands the math, they will buy them sooner rather than later.

You’re right that all engines produce about the same percentage CO, HC, and NOx into the exhaust system due to incomplete combustion. Burning more fuel means the engine emits more INTO the exhaust system.

But that’s not the end of the story. Catalytic converters “finish the job” of combustion, some better than others. Let’s say a Toyota Tundra burns 4 times the fuel of a Prius. Now let’s say the converter in the Tundra is 99.9% efficient in eliminating the HC, CO, and NOx, leaving 0.1%. Now let’s say the converter on the Prius is only 99.5% efficient, leaving 0.5%.

In this (hypothetical) case, the Prius would emit 25% more HC, CO, and NOx than the Tundra. Of course its CO2 would only be 1/4 of the Tundra’s, because it only depends on the amount of fuel burned.

And to put it even more simply, when you burn gas mixed with air, you produce various by-products such as NOX and particulates. If your combustion system operates at the same level of performance, then burning less gas results in fewer emissions. This is not rocket science.

Depending on the exhaust treatment, a Toyota Tundra that guzzles gas could emit fewer pollutants than a Prius, except for CO2.

And in a more general sense, helping drivers drive more economically reduces air pollution and our funding of foreign countries with factions at war with us.

We need our culture to embrace the idea that if you can afford a hybrid, buy one for the benefit of all.

Just a little on “pay back” Lets say I buy a Camry Hybrid for $32,000 rather than a non hybrid Camry for $27000. And lets say I paid 10% interest for 4 years. Looking at just the difference, I paid about $500 per year or 2,000 more due to interest, so the real difference was $7,000. I drive the car 4 years, and then sell the car. The Hybrid drops from 32,000 to 14,000 or a loss of 18,000 whereas the non-hybrid drops from 27,000 to 10,000 or a loss of 17,000. So the difference over 4 years is about $8,000 more, everything considered.

Now my gas savings amounts to about $2500, so my Hybrid cost me about $5,500 over 4 years.

But if I cook the books the other way, I buy a 32,000 Camry Hybrid, rather than a $35,000 Avalon non-hybrid. I borrow less and save money on gas and lose less in depreciation. And I am motivated to do this because I hate creating unhealthy air for kids.