Comment Re:Better than nothing (Score 1) 1528
It looks like these cars are more hype than help in the battle against pollution and foreign fuel reliance.
The Prius is also SULEV (Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle) certified, and has an AT-PZEV rating. There are also conventional cars that also have a PZEV rating (e.g., Ford Focus PZEV). The point is that the claim that hybrids don't reduce pollution is false: driving one of these cars is much cleaner than the vast majority of vehicles on the road.
Moreover, when you're stuck in traffic, the Prius gasoline engine shuts off. That saves gas and reduces pollution. That's not generally reflected in an MPG estimate (since you're not going anywhere, your MPG is actually 0 -- but in a conventional car, your MPG is actually negative, since you're using gas for no purpose.)
The Prius is also SULEV (Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle) certified, and has an AT-PZEV rating. There are also conventional cars that also have a PZEV rating (e.g., Ford Focus PZEV). The point is that the claim that hybrids don't reduce pollution is false: driving one of these cars is much cleaner than the vast majority of vehicles on the road.
Moreover, when you're stuck in traffic, the Prius gasoline engine shuts off. That saves gas and reduces pollution. That's not generally reflected in an MPG estimate (since you're not going anywhere, your MPG is actually 0 -- but in a conventional car, your MPG is actually negative, since you're using gas for no purpose.)
