Interesting article from Machine Design comparing the life cycle energy cost of an H2 Hummer vs a Prius. Of course if hybrids are produced in larger quantities, the numbers could change.
I have Environmental science next period and global warming is a major topic. Can’t wait to show my teacher this… so much for hybrids
I saw that article, too. That’s crazy. Maybe the costs will go down when more “plug in” hybrids become available?
I wonder how ethanol vehicles would compare?
I guess you’d also have to factor in what it takes to process gasoline vs ethanol. And what about bio-diesel? Doesn’t it take a huge amount of corn to make a gallon of fuel?
I posted something similar to this a few months ago. definitely raises questions
I wonder how a honda civic or chevy cobalt compares.
You would think they’d have to be better than both. All the positives about the Hummer would be the same for the Civic/Cobalt, but with better gas mileage and less material. :dunno:
If you look up the actual data, you’ll find several model cars.
Look here: http://cnwmr.com/nss-folder/automotiveenergy/
At the bottom of the page you’ll find a link to a spreadsheet ranking cars. Here’s the link: http://cnwmr.com/nss-folder/automotiveenergy/Cost%20per%20mile%20by%20segment%20by%20model%20and%20sorts.xls
Here’s the rankings:
Model, Dust to Dust$ Per Mile
xB $0.492
Neon $0.641
Tracker $0.665
Ion $0.670
Wrangler $0.709
Corolla $0.720
Aveo $0.744
Elantra $0.748
xA $0.759
S10 $0.761
Echo $0.776
Prot?g? $0.781
Focus $0.788
tC $0.801
Cavalier $0.802
Sunfire $0.820
Spectra $0.828
Accent $0.828
Aerio $0.902
Sentra $0.906
Fit $0.911
Versa $0.929
Yaris $0.936
Ranger $0.961
G5 $0.965
Cobalt $0.969
Forenza/Reno $0.993
Rio $0.994
Matrix ** $1.012
Mazda3 $1.022
Vibe $1.023
Lancer $1.038
Rabbit $1.039
Liberty $1.066
Canyon $1.116
Tacoma $1.123
Colorado $1.126
B-Series $1.140
Sonoma $1.150
Caliber $1.171
Dakota $1.229
Sebring $1.286
Sportage $1.305
Frontier $1.350
Impala $1.353
Sorento $1.376
Crown Victoria $1.377
LeSabre $1.379
Blazer $1.413
Grand Vitara $1.430
Grand Prix $1.438
Amanti $1.461
Vitara $1.463
CR-V $1.466
i-280/i-350 $1.491
Tiburon $1.496
Grand Marquis $1.496
9-5 $1.545
Raider $1.551
Durango $1.572
Altima $1.572
XL-7 $1.572
3 Series $1.586
Mazda5 $1.587
Taurus $1.592
Monte Carlo $1.609
Explorer $1.612
TrailBlazer $1.616
XG350/Azera $1.618
9-2 $1.625
Aura $1.636
S2000 $1.638
9-3 $1.640
CTS $1.640
Mazda6 $1.642
PT Cruiser $1.642
Sable $1.643
Crossfire $1.644
Lucerne $1.644
Galant $1.691
C class $1.692
Rodeo $1.698
Mustang $1.700
Ridgeline $1.724
TSX $1.752
A4/S4 $1.797
Grand Cherokee $1.808
Vue $1.815
Equinox $1.839
G35 $1.844
Jetta $1.847
RAV4 $1.854
Beetle $1.855
Solstice $1.874
Park Avenue $1.876
Escape $1.881
MR2 Spyder $1.881
Bonneville $1.882
Element $1.901
I30/I35 $1.903
ES 330 $1.903
Legacy $1.903
MX-5 Miata $1.904
Mariner $1.914
Verona $1.918
MPV $1.929
Forester $1.938
Safari $1.943
Accord $1.960
Freelander $1.960
Mini Cooper $1.960
Malibu $1.962
Passat $1.970
Sonata $1.982
Torrent $1.982
Avalon $1.986
Ascender $1.989
Compass $2.009
IS 250/350 $2.009
Jetta wagon $2.013
Mini Cooper S $2.016
Optima $2.016
Santa Fe $2.017
Astro $2.027
Xterra $2.046
Commander $2.046
Maxima $2.062
LS $2.065
H3 $2.069
RSX $2.075
Classic $2.075
EOS $2.076
CL $2.076
Sedona $2.077
Sky $2.092
Relay $2.113
Fusion $2.118
LaCrosse $2.132
Outlander $2.140
Zephyr $2.142
40 series $2.144
Celica $2.144
4Runner $2.150
Caravan/Grand Caravan $2.165
Rondo $2.166
X-Type $2.166
Uplander $2.166
Axiom $2.168
9-7X $2.168
Charger $2.169
Endeavor $2.171
Eclipse Spyder $2.193
300/300M $2.197
TL $2.197
Magnum $2.197
Baja $2.210
Sienna $2.221
Freestar $2.223
Pathfinder $2.224
Five Hundred $2.224
Montego $2.224
Econoline van $2.249
Avalanche $2.250
Odyssey $2.250
Pilot $2.255
60 series $2.262
A3 $2.272
Mark LT $2.274
Monterey $2.279
Town & Country $2.303
Eclipse $2.307
Aztek $2.324
Venture $2.326
Envoy $2.338
Impreza $2.339
Grand Am $2.339
Milan $2.340
Entourage $2.340
Tucson $2.340
350Z $2.347
Escalade EXT $2.354
Viper $2.355
B9 Tribeca $2.355
Camry $2.356
Civic $2.361
Montana $2.361
CX-7 $2.367
Sprinter Van $2.374
Express/G Van $2.376
Silverado $2.376
6 Series $2.380
Rainier $2.381
F Series $2.381
Stratus $2.381
Diamante $2.381
Tribute $2.388
Sierra $2.406
Montero Sport $2.408
Lotus $2.408
Ram pickup $2.408
Quest $2.410
HHR $2.420
Montero $2.428
RX8 $2.429
Discovery $2.432
LR3 $2.434
Mountaineer $2.444
Terraza $2.452
Freestyle $2.458
Montana SV6 $2.466
Nitro $2.467
G6 $2.506
X3 $2.513
Highlander $2.534
Cayenne $2.539
QX56 $2.540
Golf/GTI/R32 $2.544
X5 $2.564
FJ Cruiser $2.577
QX4 $2.596
Range Rover Sport $2.602
Savana/G Van $2.602
Econoline/Club Wagon $2.625
Aviator $2.631
Town Car $2.661
GX 470 $2.664
Rendezvous $2.692
CL class $2.692
GTO $2.692
SL Coupe/Roadster $2.799
RL $2.806
911 Carrera/Carrera 4 $2.806
L series $2.807
Prius $2.865
Z8 $2.885
7 Series $2.888
Tundra $2.889
Pacifica $2.892
Murano $2.925
70 series $2.932
Navigator $2.943
Industry Straight Average 2.946
Z4 $2.949
SLR class $2.956
SRX $2.972
MDX $3.014
M class $3.045
TT $3.046
Titan $3.069
FX35/45 $3.071
Aston Martin $3.072
SSR $3.076
50 series $3.102
STS $3.190
Corvette $3.196
5 Series $3.197
Escalade $3.198
Maserati * $3.219
R class $3.247
SC 430 $3.277
XJ $3.280
LX 470 $3.303
Land Cruiser $3.354
Boxster $3.388
Civic Hybrid $3.398
Accord Hybrid $3.421
Insight $3.453
XC90 $3.456
XLR $3.482
E class $3.483
80 series $3.491
RX330/350 $3.496
Escalade ESV $3.536
Escape Hybrid $3.540
RDX $3.541
Expedition $3.549
DTS $3.567
H2 $3.585
Mariner Hybrid $3.597
Camry Hybrid $3.618
XK $3.620
Highlander Hybrid $3.656
DeVille $3.684
Seville $3.684
Range Rover $3.746
Tahoe $3.759
CLK class $3.771
Yukon $3.783
Q7 $3.886
SLK class $3.986
Suburban $3.988
H1 $4.012
Excursion $4.043
CLS class $4.070
Yukon XL $4.094
Sequoia $4.124
M45 $4.193
GS 350 $4.251
Armada $4.260
Lamborghini $4.271
Ferrari $4.289
Aspen $4.299
GT $4.301
S class $4.316
GS 430 $4.356
Q45 $4.361
GS450h $4.421
S-Type $4.514
RX400h $4.546
G class $4.579
GL class $4.645
Carrera GT $4.727
LS 430 $4.775
Touareg $4.797
NSX $4.994
A8 $5.041
A6 $5.120
Cayman $5.383
allroad quattro $5.936
Bentley $10.631
Rolls-Royce $10.977
Phaeton $12.963
Maybach $15.837
Look at the article again…
The 479-page study is free and well worth digging into. Readers will find, for example, that the fuel a car burns over its lifetime isn’t the largest portion of its energy use, just the most visible.
Doesn’t sound like the fuel would have much of an impact of total energy used from dust to dust.
Hard to tell, it just says it isn’t the largest portion of its energy use, not that it’s negligible. And I’m not interested in reading the 479 page report! 
Can anyone explain why they show everything in dollars? Is energy cost in dollars really an effective way to show a vehicles impact on the enviroment?
Is it reasonalbe to think that company X’s car cost $5.00 to make but $4 of that energy it takes to make comes from solar and wind energy?
damn… a touareg is this?
Touareg $4.797
that doesnt’ make sense though… the touareg comes in a v6 a v8 and a tdi v10 model… so wtf did they test?
also, how can this:
Golf/GTI/R32 $2.544
be the case if these are the same motor in larger cars (not to even mention the r32 comes in a 6cy only and the other are turbo 4’s or na 4’s or 6’s)???
Jetta $1.847
Passat $1.970
sounds like a bunch of bullshit to me.