BMW Beats Prius in MPG
In todays take that snobby-know it all-environmentalists moment a BMW recently beat a Prius in a MPG test.
I am not against environmentalists. I am not against anybody. I am against unreasonable arguments, and I have not heard a reasonable argument from an environmentalist yet. I have gone to countless hearings, briefings, talks, conference calls, and read many many reports, so my ignorance of the existence of a reasonable argument is not blind or purposeful ignorance. I have confronted leading scientists only to be answered by red faces that answered my question with the admission of blind ignorance.
I can easily see why lazy scientists want to jump on this seemingly easy bandwagon, and attempt to base their careers on fake premises and bad science, but I am tired of being called heartless because I don’t drool over every word that they say.
Thank you BMW!
Harry Landers:
Bear, I’m not sure why this news would be considered to cast environmentals in a negative light (as I sense is your view, but I could be wrong). I certainly don’t care what technology is most effective in reducing our use of petroleum (and the resulting dependence on foreign sources of oil), nor do I care whether that technology is developed by BMW or Toyota. Frankly, I’d prefer that an American auto company come up with superior technology.
For all I know, maybe a hybrid that’s 500 pounds lighter and has a regenerative braking system may be the way to go. I say, thank you BMW, thank you Toyota, thank you engineers who continue to tinker, test and run these sorts of trials.
Posted on March 19th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Sarah:
Hi Bear,
Thanks for your comment. I appreciate people who are interested in hearing other points of views, especially views so different from their own.
That being said, I have some questions/points about the efficiency of the BMW. First, was it a manual/standard transmission? Manuals are more fuel efficient in general than automatics (which I assume the Prius was). Secondly, the BMW runs on diesel, so even if it is a fraction more fuel efficient, the fuel it is burning is less clean than that of the Prius.
I’m not personally a huge fan of Priuses (Priusi?) and I don’t think hybrid technology is the answer to our transportation problems. In fact, I don’t think there is any one solution; we’ve got to get creative and approach the problem from multiple angles.
I consider myself both an environmentalist and a pragmatic, rational, reasonable person. So I hope to be your first reasonable argument from an environmentalist. *grin*
P.S. If you want scientists who base their careers on fake premises and bad science, look at the climate change deniers.
Posted on March 20th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
I am sorry that I have been away, I have been sick…..I think it is allergies, but I am have never really been effected by allergies until I moved to the east coast, so I am still getting used to the warning signs.
Anyway, both of you have valid points. When I feel better–maybe tomorrow I will address both of your points in a post.
In general, while more civil than I usually hear–thank you, these are the general arguments that I hear. Between the two of you…..you have come up with a better technology. *regenerative braking, regular gas, 500 pound lighter, hybrid* wahoo.
Posted on March 21st, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Joe Wein:
While the BMW’s results are clearly respectable, the figures quoted in the Sunday Times article do not tell the whole story.
For a start, a driving mix that includes only a token 20% of urban driving is hardly typical for usage patterns of most motorists in our largely urban / suburban societies. It seems almost purposely designed to ensure that the advantage of the hybrid drive train of the Prius would lie mostly idle. Driving at constant speed on a flat road you are not going to see any real benefits from a hybrid system, which really thrives in stop-and-go rush hour traffic with lots of traffic lights, as most of us experience on the way to work or home.
Secondly, even with these skewed parameters, the BMW lost out on greenhouse gas emissions. It burnt 10.84 Imperial gallons (13 US gallons) of diesel, while the Prius used 11.34 Imperial gallons (13.6 US gallons) of gasoline. Because of diesel fuel’s 15% higher carbon content by volume, the BMW added 131 kg of CO2 to the atmosphere versus 120 kg by the Prius.
Personally, I see no reason why in the long-term efficient diesel engines can not be mated to a hybrid system and have the best of both worlds. Sure, it may not be cost-effective at current fuel prices yet, but things may look very different by 2020 or 2050.
Posted on April 3rd, 2008 at 9:32 pm