Have you ever thought about the total environmental impact of the energy usage of a Hybrid? When the average person thinks about cars environmental impact, usually only oil consumption and tailpipe pollutants are taken into consideration.

What about other costs like batteries, tires, replacement and repair parts, and most importantly: disposal. The overall cost of energy is not just paid for by the product’s end user.

While a hybrid may not be a bad choice for an individual it may not be a better choice for the earth. When buying a car you must decide what price fits your needs which often includes fuel economy expenses. Will a hybrid really give enough savings on gas to make it worth the premium over an internal combustion engine? What about the creation and disposal of the batteries in hybrids?

Let’s take the process of making a hybrid from the beginning. Below is a satellite image of one of the largest nickel mines in the world in Sudbury, Ontario. The surrounding area is a dead zone, nothing will grow for hundreds of years. Nasa even uses this area to test space rovers as it terrain is similar to that on the moon. This mine and it’s refinery has irreversibly damaged the surrounding environment. Toyota sources over 1000 tons of nickel from it every year.

An ironic development in engine technology is that the most advanced diesel engines get better fuel mileage on average than a hybrid. They do not have to carry the large weight of the batteries; the low curb weight helps with fuel economy too. Diesel has also steered away from its former image of being a dirty burning fuel for industrial trucks. New ultra low sulfur diesel engines release only marginally more emissions than their gasoline burning counterparts.

There’s no question that a Hybrid is better for the environment while operating on it’s electric engine. However this is mainly at cruising speeds between 40 and 60 kilometers per hour. Acceleration and highway driving requires the gas engine to pair with the electric one.

While hybrids are a step in the right direction for the environment, it is not the ultimate solution. When purchasing a hybrid or even a diesel it will cost more than the regular gasoline powered equivalent. The consumer needs to be aware of the projected break even point if the choose to spend more money on both a diesel or a hybrid. However, purely based on fuel economy and the fact that it’s cheaper than a hybrid, a ultra low sulfur emitting diesel engine is a clear winner in my books. The best diesels can achieve a combined 88 miles per gallon, the best hybrids hover around 70 miles per gallon.