Toyota Analyzes Prius Production From Beginning To End And Finds Carbon Footprint Is Worse Than Expected!

I'm not telling you "we told you so", but we covered this in detail in 2006 when the dust to dust analysis estimated a Hummer was greener than a Prius when manufacture was taken into the process.

The carbon footprint should be the whole process of manufacture to scrap NOT just the pollution generated by driving the vehicle.

Yeah, TopGear did a story about this two years ago. I'm not saying that TopGear is the pinnacle of automotive journalism, but this is old news. The only people whom do not know about the true total environmental impact are the misinformed and Hybrid fanboys.

Here's another bit of trivia: the last generation M3 gets better gas mileage @ 80 mph than a Prius does.

First: Is the Prius the only hybrid which leaves a carbon footprint?

Second: I remember the study for the Hummer vs Prius manufacture process, but at the end, the Prius is more fuel efficient therefore making it greener over the Hummer when you compare its lifetime. I know the Hummer creates less carbon footprint before getting into the hands of customers, but as you start using it, if you compare the carbon footprint from say, 0 to 5 years, the Hummer quickly gets higher carbon footprint than the Prius.

Third: All batteries created leave nonmethane hydrocarbons during manufacturing process. HECK: EVEN THE MEAT YOU EAT AT LONGHORN leaves carbon footprint, lol. Its chemistry 101, all your hybrids, all your Laptop batteries, all your cell-phones, etc.

Last: Don't blame Toyota only, remember there are a lot of other companies that recently are developing hybrid technology. At least have the other car brands taken the time like Toyota to check their backyards too?

*If you want to be a real car journalist don't stop here, and start looking and comparing manufacturing process of different hybrids. Opps sorry, its going to be difficult for you because no other car company is going to make the same study and give it to the news.

Thank Toyota for at least keeping an eye on their ''eco-friendly'' promise.

-Auronsicero

Oh 009, I know u can read. At least that I can give you. And this article clearly states that although hybrids may have a greater carbon footprint during manufacture they have a MUCH lower one during operation, where the majority of environmental impact occurs. This is what THEY ALWAYS HAVE SAID. Hybrids pollute less over the LIFETIME of the car. This has never changed!

No need, but I can't stand fanboyz that claim they are green simply because the drive an EV or Hybrid.

You have to look at the big picture, not a myopic view of "see what I did!".

Beside all of that will change soon as the African and Chinese start polluting the world big time by strip mining for rare earth minerals.

That will make oil exploration pollution look like child's play.

Hey 009 the article says the Prius is slight higher than the class average in the article....not "worse than a Hummer". That means it takes more material and effort (fuel usage etc) than other small/medium cars.

sportsbike80 - You have a good memory! However this study was by non other than Toyota. Maybe CNW and his crew were REALLY on to something and Toyota failed to listen?

re "greenest cars to operate" -- That's because electricity is "clean," right? Just don't follow the power lines back to the source, because if you live in the United States, 70% of that "clean" electrical power is generated by burning fossil fuel or garbage in massive, out-of-site power-plants.

All of us, myself included, choose and act based on our *beliefs*. Many people *believe* that driving a Prius is good for the planet, and that's who's buying them.

PS: We also feel good about separating our garbage into separate recycling and composting bins, even though much of this stuff all makes its way to the same pile due to many municipalities' inadequate recycling programs, and because domestic "compostables" have proven to be toxic to plant life, and therefore are not suitable as compost. Again, we all choose and act based on what we believe.

Are we ready for our next argument?

You are completely right, except for state like California, Nevada, etc that generate electricity by not burning coal or other fossil fuels. Your argument is still valid and very strong!

009 = Vague or Toyota related...SMH U have no spice to you, huh man? They say motorcylces help during this time of our lives....

All of your stories depicts something specific about you, 009:

Either that u never write the articles
Have a short attention span
And for some strange reason HATES a company that up until a few years ago had a spectacular reputation

But most importantly, you are, as they say in my generation, a HATER..they have ointment for that youy know.

When you guys realize that this site it just a blog and not in any way related to fair and balanced journalism, you'll understand the biases here.

Mason3Robert- Toyota had a spectacular reputation. The reality was it was a carefully crafted one, not reality.

Just look at how far back the recalls go in years and you see how much was really exposed.

PS3, XBox, Wii, etc. These are electric/plastic/resource hogs and they do NOTHING productive except provide leisure. Somebody should study how useless console games are and their carbon footprints on society.

Just by looking at the headline of the article and I already know it's PlanoA4, oops! I mean Agent009 who posted it.
VAG and related companies always get the best and most positive posts from him even if they are lame just look at the F1 story and the Porsche GT2 posts after this Toyota one.
Oh now Hyundai has also become his favourite these days. It can be anything but Toyota/Lexus hey Plano!I guess Toyota/Lexus posts create a lot of traffic and attract a lot of comments.

Carbon Footprint is inevitable. By how do we improve without trying first? Shame on those people who keep bashing Toyota.

Just think if everyone in the world drove a Prius for a decade the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would be reduced 0.5%. Unfortunately, higher carbon concentrations cause plants to intake more carbon, so it would be really hard to measure that difference.

Shame on people for not being informed and believing everything that comes out of the "hype-machine".

Toyota's advertising has been criticized for being misleading in several countries, the UK to name one. The US is quite lax on this issue.

Because you want an example: the Prius commercial with the car in meadow/field made of twigs and grass, that has the car model completely bio-degrade over time is completely misleading. There are many parts of the Prius that will take several thousands of years, if ever, to bio-degrade.

@ MorePower

If you ever think that a car running or parked beside grass means its completely bio-degradeable?, then you have mental problems....