The Prius gas-guzzler vs. the SUV planet-saver

[Denny_A]

An interesting take on HOV (vs. LEV) lane use and pax miles per gallon.

The Skeptical Optimist opines....


The Prius gas-guzzler vs. the SUV planet-saver

Prius vs. Expedition

The last few days have been a little warmer than I’d like, and Al Gore now has me convinced that it’s all my fault. I really feel guilty, so it’s time to for me to take some action, preferably before my car’s butterfly effect causes another drought, hurricane, or glacier-melt.

Is it time for me to pony up for a new, more fuel-efficient vehicle—perhaps something like the Toyota Prius? After all, the Prius was given a new, distinctive shape two years ago by Toyota’s marketing department; a shape they want me to think would really turn some heads in my direction. [The body style overhaul was an ugliness injection, and was advertised as “aerodynamic”—but it fulfilled their unspoken agenda of giving Prius owners a subliminal badge of honor that says “Look at me, I’m saving the planet and you’re not”—without actually having to spell that out on a bumpersticker, window decal, or bobble-head doll.]

But during my rush-hour drive Tuesday afternoon, a light bulb went off in my head as I pondered the two vehicles in front of me driving side-by-side: a Toyota Prius and a Ford Expedition Eddie Bauer. After a brief-but-thorough conference with myself, I reached the tentative conclusion that the vehicle more deserving of the label “gas guzzler” was the Toyota Prius.

However, the skeptic in me demanded some fact-checking before I could settle on that conclusion. So after I got home, I did some internet research on the Prius and the Expedition—and sure enough, it ended up confirming my first impression. I thought some of you might like to examine my step-by-step fuel-efficiency analysis. It proves that the Prius was operating at a significantly lower fuel efficiency than the Expedition; in fact, it wasn't even close. Here it is...

Fuel Efficiency Analysis - Toyota Prius vs Ford Expedition "Eddie Bauer" - seen driving side-by-side in afternoon rush hour traffic, June 6, 2006:

See the article for the example! Prius MPG assumtion taken from CR Mag <_<

[Tideland Prius]

huh? he's not making any sense, but ok.

A fully loaded car is always better than a single-occupant car regardless of vehicle so what is he trying to prove?

[NuShrike]

Good job!
o using highway MPG for stop-n-go traffic conditions
o stacking a fully-loaded SUV vs singular Prius driver (ignoring the drop in MPG from increased weight, idling, and then buses/trains would be the most efficient transportation)
o ignoring stop-n-go emission levels

[bobr1]

Wow! What astonishingly stupid spin!

Here's a hint: If you really, genuinely, regularly haul 5 people plus lots of gear, don't look at a Prius, or any other sedan for that matter.

But I seriously doubt that the author actually considered the fact that the overwhelming majority of auto trips in this country are SOV.

I'd love to see this jerk compare a Ford Excursion to say, a Highlander Hybrid. But that might be something close to a fair fight!

Skeptical optimist, hah. More like Contrarian Obfuscist.

- Bob R.

[hdrygas]

Well look at my signature. My first tank was above 44 with under 100 miles on the car driving 75 mph back from Montana over Rocky Mountain Passes on cruise. Yes I have been under 44 once. I have an Explorer Eddie Bauer. With a 4L 6 in it well broken in and if I try really, really hard with one 200lb butt in the car and not much else I might get 23. I guess that one really anorexic Mom and 4 kids under 5 will weigh less than I. Did I mention that the tires are at the max pressure not the recommended and the Vehicle bounces all around the place at highway speeds. I would guess that 99.9 soccer Moms would not tolerate that. I have not seen so much BS stacked side to side in a long time. Write this guy off he is some village’s idiot who has escaped and needs to go home and start sweeping up the sidewalks not writing. This stuff should be on the editorial page!! Yesss I feel much better now.

[darelldd]

This really cracked me up. I read the title of the thread, and really REALLY thought it was about my personal situation.

We own a Prius, and I call it my gas guzzler because it is the car in our fleet that gets the worst gas mileage, regardless of how it is driven. Our main vehicle is a little solar-fueled SUV that is certainly doing more to save the planet than our Prius is.

But it turns out that the big difference is that I'm at least mildly educated, and this guy is a complete moron.

[micheal]

The real shame is that there isn't a way to comment on this article to try and negate all of it's errors. The first of which is

I did some internet research on the Prius and the Expedition—and sure enough, it ended up confirming my first impression. [/b]

So you already had an idea and try to find a way to confirm your idea. Sounds like a great analysis to me.

[Salsawonder]

I don't think the dude would ever qualify for a research grant, sort of need to have a working brain....

[bsoft]

This guy is obviously full of crap - for one reason more than any other: the minimum number of occupants in HOV lanes for normal vehicles is generally 2 or 3.

Compare an expidition with 3 occupants to a Prius with 1 occupant. The Prius comes out darn close in per-passenger fuel economy.

Also consider that the Prius is 80% cleaner (in terms of emissions) than the average new vehicle.

Remember, though: even with a Prius, it makes a lot of sense to carpool. It also makes a lot of sense to develop public transit so that we will have the choice of not driving. That choice is already a reality in cities like Chicago or New York City, but in cities like Denver, it's going to take a lot more work to make public transit work.

In the summer and on weekends, I drive a Prius. The other 8 months of the year, I walk or take the bus (I'm a university student at the University of Colorado Boulder).

[eak354]

talk about twisted logic.... totally missing the point. sigh....

oh... and there are prius owners who carpool, 4-5 passengers, and still get over 45 mpg on freeway.