Tow cars and trailers

On May 18, 11:36 pm, Martin Gregorie
wrote:
Ramy wrote:
While we're on the subject, any comments on the Lexus RX hybrid as a
tow vehicle?

Don't be taken in by the hype. If you consider whole of life energy
costs then hybrids are not very green at all. See

http://cnwmr.com/nss-folder/automotiveenergy

and download the "Dust to Dust" report for details.

Disappointed to see that spectacular piece of FUD linked to here.

The "study" is riddled with strange unexplained arbitary assumptions
in order to arrive at their conclusions such as the idea that a Prius
lasts only 100,000 miles and that a Hummer lasts 379,000(!). Reverse
those numbers to get a true picture of what taxi firms are seeing.

Another cracker: "The typical hybrid small vehicle such as the Prius
is driven far fewer miles each year than a comparably sized budget
car. And for good reason... these are generally secondary vehicles in
a household OR they are driven in restricted or short range
environments such as college campuses or retirement neighborhoods. "
Erm, what? The only hybrid owners I know are long-distance business
drivers - they either bought the hybrid themselves or, increasingly
commonly, have been given them as company cars because they're so
cheap to run (assisted by tax breaks).

A priceless "I've not done my homework" section is claiming that the
factory that produces the nickel for the Prius's battery has reduced
the local area to "a moonscape". Originally the factory did - in the
1960s. Since then the factory and area has been cleaned up and in 1992
was given an award by the UN for environmental rehabilitation.

Over 120 pages of the report is made up of photos of cars, editorial
cartoons and SONG LYRICS.

Funnily enough CNW is entirely funded by the North American car
industry.

If it's not peer reviewed - and this certainly wasn't - it's junk. I
speak has someone who studied product whole-life-cost estimation for
my degree.


Dan