I wrote this blog post really quickly while at work today, so don't be too harsh and if you don't like it, fuck off.
So a few weekends back, I was walking my bulldog in the dog park near my house. On my way back I was nearly run over by a sneaky little Prius. They are so damn quiet, it could have run me over and silently slipped away. If these aren't being used for drive by shootings in Detroit yet, there's a problem. Oh ya, they're foreign made. The gangster's drive-by vehicle of choice, Gangster's chariot? The fact they don't have a proper breaking system, concerns me as well. I think Toyota should get Rick Ross as a spokesman, it would make his cocaine transactions that much more covert. I see the headlines now "Toyota Prius sought for questioning in crimes all over the city."
I see the Toyota Prius everywhere. Wait lists for these vehicles were approaching almost a year in length and the only question I can ask is, why? First, I would like to say they are abhorrently ugly, both in design and color, with a price tag I hardly find worth it. Why pay over 25 thousand dollars for a car that looks about as safe as a Yugo? There's a certain poser stigma that I perceive when people purchase these cars. Get off your fucking high horse, you aren't the saviour of mother earth. You're simple a douche idiot that read one expose' in Newsweek about the impending environmental disaster. Don't you feel like an idiot? Well, you should, especially following "Climate Gate."
This technology is getting better with each day, but as of now it doesn't seem nearly there. Let me tell you why. First, the carbon footprint created by developing the technology and the actual production of the physical Prius far outstrips the amount of gas you will save. Keeping your old clunker would've been better for the environment? Ya, it would have, mind boggling isn't it? People don't seem to understand that if a vehicle isn't used or re-sold it goes to the scrap yard and eventually helps the release of methane, a far worse greenhouse gas than CO2.
One of the most pressing issues with these cars is the batteries. The chemicals and resources used to develop them are highly toxic and throughout the life of the car necessitate changing. That being said, I've heard that replacing the batteries can be quite an expensive procedure, requiring both more carbon emissions and chemicals. Wait, I thought the point was to reduce carbon emissions? Battery technology isn't progressing in same fashion as computers, stated by Moore's Theory. Once we can figure out how to more efficiently charge the batteries and increase the distance traveled on each charge, I might be swayed to change over. For now, I'll keep my clunker.
How many people do you know that can work on the intricate electrical system in the Prius? Not many, probably not your local garage. This poses yet another problem. You will pay a great deal to have it fixed I presume, as well as it will require a visit to your local dealer. The Toyota Prius has been getting around 45 miles per gallon. That sounds impressive right? Ok, mull this over-my dad had a VW diesel in the 1970's that got the same gas mileage as the current Prius. A car that has Tonka Truck sized wheels and low curb-weight should, by default, get good gas mileage. I can't in my right mind, attribute the Prius's heightened MPG strictly to its status as a hybrid. Compare the Toyota Yaris, a far cheaper commuter car.
What does this say to me? That car companies should be investing money in expanding the use of diesel engines. We can't simply wait for a battery miracle. Its both my opinion, and many others, that in the years to come you will see more diesel vehicles. I point to VW and Mercedes Benz, two premium car companies that both have multiple diesel cars gracing highways in both Europe and the US. They're a good option to hybrid even with a slightly higher price tag and the challenge of finding a diesel station. Diesel and gas cars are going to be around for decades to come, especially with the recent expansion of off-shore drilling by President Barack Obama.
I may be coming off as someone who rejects Global Warming and that couldn't be farther from the truth. What I am, is someone that isn't going to be a mindless drone consuming "green technology" that is far from being ready, its simply imprudent. Companies, such as Toyota, aren't altruistic environmentalists, their a company playing off on a niche market. The green movement will make a lot of people rich, assuming we don't crack nuclear fusion. Ok, that's joke...mostly. As much as I don't see the worth in the Prius, I do believe its a move in the right direction. No Apologies, I Don't Think Before I speak
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