Disinformation

More and more, you’ll be seeing propaganda like this reproduced in your local paper, in TV and on the radio. Know that this is BS when you hear it. And here’s why…

Hybrids take more energy to produce than large SUVs
April 13, 2006
BY JIM MATEJA
CHICAGO TRIBUNE

You want to get more miles per gallon?
It’s a no-brainer.

Check out the Honda Accord or Civic or Toyota Prius hybrids and forget those big SUVs, the Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe, GMC Yukon, Hummer H2, Ford Expedition, Cadillac Escalade or Lincoln Navigator.

But while hybrids consume less fuel than SUVs, it takes more energy to produce the parts and components — especially the electrical system — that go into making one than it does to produce the typical full-size SUV.

That’s the finding of a new analysis by CNW Marketing Research Inc., which calculated the cost of energy — natural gas and coal, but primarily electricity — that it takes to produce each part and component of a vehicle as well as the energy it takes to assemble the pieces into the final vehicle.

CNW came up with an Energy Index for producing each of the more than 300 models sold in the United States.

So, now we know all about this very official sounding “study” the problem is, the methodology of the study has not been published. For all we know, these fine folks at the CNW just sat down and thought about this real hard until they came up with answers that sound good.

Keep in mind, a study without methodology is a sucker bet. And chances are, like this one, the study’s results are exactly what the sponsors paid for.

It found the Maybach, DaimlerChrysler’s ultra-luxury brand, required the most energy to produce, more than 500% of the industry average.

And the most energy-efficient is the Scion xB wagon, which requires only 20% of the industry average to manufacture.

So the worst isn’t an SUV, and the best isn’t a hybrid.

The study also found that the energy needed to produce a hybrid is 30% greater than the industry average to produce any vehicle.

Specifically, the Accord hybrid needs 144% more energy to produce than the industry average, Prius 142% more and the Civic hybrid 141% more.

But the Suburban and Yukon took 137%, Expedition 134%, Hummer H2 132%, Tahoe 128%, Escalade 120% and Navigator 114%.

And those hybrids top their gasoline-only counterparts in energy use.
The Accord, for example, requires 95% more energy to produce than the average vehicle while the Accord hybrid requires 144%, or nearly 50% more than the gas version.

The reason is that it takes a lot of energy to produce the electric systems for hybrids as well as the exotic lightweight glass, aluminum and steel that goes into them. Hybrid tires also require special compounds for better rolling resistance to increase mileage, said Art Spinella, general manager of CNW.
The study also said that robots brought in to replace humans to cut costs, “cost more in power consumption, the electricity to run them,” Spinella said.
But, Spinella said, the energy cost is offset by the fact robots don’t take lunch or coffee breaks, don’t get pensions or health care benefits and have no guarantees they’ll get paid even if they don’t work.

Couched in this delightful bit of oh-so slyly written disinformation is just a bit of insight into why knowing how a study is conducted is as important as perusing the results. Ok, so we know that they took a lot of stuff about robots versus humans into account but why did they stop at just examining worker pay and benefits? Don’t human workers use resources whether they are at work or not? And don’t robots only use resources when they are working?

It seems silly, in the extreme to think that small amount of electricity such robotic production machines use is more than what we humans use in all aspects of our lives.

Perhaps the most startling finding is that those folks who praise the Japanese for offering so many hybrids and pan the domestic industry for offering so few don’t realize that tardiness is conserving energy, Spinella said, with tongue planted part way in cheek.

“Most hybrid vehicles are produced in Japan, so people who buy a Prius or Civic hybrid are exporting energy consumption to Japan. The more high energy produced elsewhere, the better it is for us here,” Spinella chuckled.

Mr. Spinella has a great “tongue in cheek delivery”. Here’s two quotes from him we recently posted the last time CNW reared up on its’ hind legs and bleated about something negative about hybrids (or something stupid, that, a bit later).

“They’re saying that gas prices are a problem, they’re a consideration, but they’re not going to affect the way people live.”

“Do I want to see a subdivision or a gun club? Honestly – I would want a gun club.”

And what CNW? Well, it’s not MIT. From their own web site…

Company Background

Founded in 1984, CNW Marketing/Research began as Coastal NW Publishing Company. Through the years, clients and subscribers have spread from the Great Northwest to include every state of the union (except Alabama), Australia, Europe, Asia and Canada. Clients include major automobile manufacturers, banks and lending institutions, Wall Street brokerage firms and consultants. Besides publishing LTR/8+ (America’s most quoted source of leasing information), CNW publishes new and used vehicle industry reference guides and study summaries, a monthly Retail Automotive Summary of sales and trends, as well as our online research distribution center, CNW by WEB. CNW holds an annual conference in Los Angeles in connection with Time Inc. Mr. Spinella is available for Executive Sessions for a limited number of clients.

Finally, shame on Jim Mateja for presenting this “study” so uncritically. He’s been a regular tool of the American industry and usually provides the sour “reality” view of hybrids. Sadly, it’s usually misinformed (from what I’ve read and heard).