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Making battery of a hybrid car consumes more energy than a hybrid car saves?

Hi, I heard some people said manufacturing the battery of a hybrid car actually consumes more energy than a hybrid car saves, is there any support is available for this statement? I did some simple estimation and it seems it is quite unlikely. But I still would like to listen to opinions of experts in the world. Thanks!!!

Public Comments

1. I have heard that too, but I don't know exactly how true it is. I do know that making the batteries can be very damaging to the environment (especially the nickle batteries).
2. I have not found a hybrid an economical fiscal choice for urban or highway driving. A true calculation of your question would include the energy / natural resources, and manufacturing processes required to build, install, maintain, and most notably retire the hybrid battery pack. Several new technologies are coming to light in recent times. Hydraulic hybrid buses & trash compactors are being built & tested. They require no petrochemical products, and although yet to be proved or mass produced, get my vote over battery assist. Besides, getting showered with peanut based hydraulic oil is easier to envision than battery acid gel in a motor vehicle accident.
3. I've read that too, but have seen many articles on sights like treehugger.com and others that debunk that theory. Now that American automakers are jumping on the electric car bandwagon you will hear a lot less of this disinformation.
4. I don't think the battery takes that much energy to make, although it might not be the most environmentally friendly thing in the world once created. However, it is questionable whether a hybrid actually saves energy. Recently a BMW M3 beat a Toyota Prius in a mileage test. It does take about 20 barrels of oil worth of energy and about 120,000 gallons of fresh water to manufacture your average whole new car. That mount of energy would keep your old car, even if it was an SUV, driving for quite some time.
5. Not quite, but when combined with the disposal of the batteries, hybrid cars are actually worse than pure gasoline. We need to go fully electrical or fully gasoline. Not of this dicking around in the middle. It's not helpful.
6. I don't think that's a relevant comparison. It would always depend on how long you use the car for. There would have to be a huge assumption at the center of that argument/myth about the length of time an average user would keep the car for. Due to relative infancy of the electric car market, a figure like that would be hard to come up with, and would have to be considered crude at best.
7. check out tesla motors web sight for a true electric car. the myth is based on the equipment used to produce the battery and does not take into account the number of batteries produced. also does not take into consideration that pumping gasoline and worrying about gas prices also consume energy.
8. No car "saves" energy. a hybrid takes only slightly more material to build than old fashioned comparable infernal combustion alone; but will save that in fuel usage in 20,000 miles or so. And will a Prius will take much less energy to make than a big heavy 4x4, just consider the galleons of oil to make the tyres alone. there have been various spurious stories trying to knock the Prius a typical very dubious report is debunked at http://www.slate.com/id/2186786 All are usually based on unspecified "data", unequal comparisons eg life expectancy, old information eg nickel mining; unrealistic driving patterns eg high speed track & no hold-ups etc. If you are worried about crash saftey there is batteries are far safer than petrol, see http://killacycle.com & watch the crash video. (high pressure hydraulic fluid is quite nasty) you have to ask why, It is like listening to smokers trying to justifiy their addiction. Hybrids are not the solution to the worlds sustainable transport issues, but they are a small step away from finite fossil fuel dependancy