Quote:
Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr
Even if the old beater would require a major overhaul, it might eventually be still less energy-expensive than making a brand-new hybrid.
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I don't think comparing overhaul vs new is a valid comparison.
If you want to do a complete life cycle vs complete life cycle ... or overhaul vs overhaul... OEM vs OEM ... or modified vs modified ... that would be better.
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As for the anti-HEV clean rant ...
While it might be possible ... I see the odds are very much stacked against the old having a net total cleaner operational life ... as much as the idea is often romanticized ... gets debunked ... then comes back ... like some kind of zombie.
Many parts of the industry were far worse in the past than they are today ... more energy per pound of steel in the past ... more pollution to make each pound of steel in the past ... more pollution for each kwh of energy in the past ... more steel on the older heavier vehicle ... a vehicle that is less safe to drive ... that needs some maintenance items more often ... that is less aerodynamic ... that has larger more toxic and energy costly engine ... and engine that produces vastly more toxins out of it's tail pipe per gallon ... and uses more gallons to travel the same number of miles... etc...etc.
The HEV batteries are a negative that the old option didn't have ... No argument about that at all ... but the other option has lots of other things adding to it's giant pile of life time dirty ... I just don't see a ~50lbs NiMH battery in some HEVs being a big enough hit to be able to counter all the other very large hits the other vehicle has added up over it's lifetime... especially when one tries to stretch it as far as a 7,700 lbs van vs a smaller lighter more aerodynamic , etc , etc ... that heavy aerodynamic brick of a vehicle reeks of energy waste and pollution for the vast majority of U.S. driving population ... it only has a remote chance against some other overly large and overly heavy with crappy aerodynamics horribly low efficiency vehicle.
but that's just my 2 bits.