Prius: One Thing It's Worse For Than A Gas Guzzler

**Butch** · 10-02-2005, 02:51 AM

http://windowsmedia.dvlabs.com/adcri...prius-rope.asf

Of course, it's not an official ad . . . it's a spec ad . . . kind of like that VW(?) suicide car bomb ad

**Airencracken** · 10-02-2005, 03:08 AM

HA HA HA HA! That's great!

**InfiniteNothing** · 10-02-2005, 11:04 AM

That's actually a horrible idea. Prius puts out the same amount of CO2 (if not slightly more) from burning a gallon of gas as any other car. I'm fearfull people will try that at home... well now that I think about it, it might make for a good darwin award.

**Butch** · 10-02-2005, 11:11 AM

Originally Posted by InfiniteNothing

That's actually a horrible idea. Prius puts out the same amount of CO2 (if not slightly more) from burning a gallon of gas as any other car. I'm fearfull people will try that at home... well now that I think about it, it might make for a good darwin award.

But how much longer would it take to burn that gallon of gas?

**InfiniteNothing** · 10-02-2005, 11:20 AM

Theoretically it would take forever as it usually turns off when it idles. Otherwise, about the same

**DarkFury** · 10-02-2005, 01:14 PM

"Good for the evironment... Good for you"

Too bad it isn't all that "good looking" of a car...

**Butch** · 10-02-2005, 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by InfiniteNothing

Theoretically it would take forever as it usually turns off when it idles. Otherwise, about the same

Please help me to understand if I'm wrong, but it would seem that if one is talking in per-gallon terms - and the Prius is marketed as (and ostensibly is) a car that burns fewer gallons per unit of distance or time than a non-hybrid - then a per gallon analysis wouldn't be a fair comparison in the context of the commercial.

It would seem similar to saying "If I drink 3 beers in an hour and try to drive, it would be illegal . . . but if I drink 3 beers over 3 days and try to drive, it would still be illegal."

**InfiniteNothing** · 10-02-2005, 02:22 PM

The car is marketed as being clean- as in pzev/sulev, not as being fuel efficient (in that commercial). But the pzev/sulev has nothing to do with CO2 which would be what does you in if you hooked up a car in that manner.

On a side note, that car's getting 0 mpg... as it's idleing.

**GracieBayb** · 10-02-2005, 02:28 PM

man... i want a prius, because if i had one, i might actually be able to afford to drive somewhere

**InfiniteNothing** · 10-02-2005, 02:33 PM

Buy one

**Butch** · 10-02-2005, 02:40 PM

Originally Posted by InfiniteNothing

The car is marketed as being clean- as in pzev/sulev, not as being fuel efficient (in that commercial). But the pzev/sulev has nothing to do with CO2 which would be what does you in if you hooked up a car in that manner.

On a side note, that car's getting 0 mpg... as it's idleing.

The commercial makes the connection between fuel efficiency and cleanliness . . . if a car is more fuel efficient by mpg, it would logically conclude that a car would burn fewer gallons per unit of time running - regardless of distance . . . I would have to expect that parking a hummer in a garage and running the engine would be more efficient for suicide than running a prius . . .

Needless to say, I'm really still not quite getting your argument - but then again, I grew up in Manhattan and was never really around cars much.

Also, I was under the impression that the issue was carbon monoxide (CO) . . . not carbon dioxide (CO2) . . .

**Kevster** · 10-02-2005, 02:45 PM

Actually, wouldn't it be CO that would be doing you in faster than CO2?

**Airencracken** · 10-02-2005, 03:04 PM

The damn thing wouldn't even be running. So either way it's immaterial.

**InfiniteNothing** · 10-02-2005, 07:15 PM

Originally Posted by Butch

The commercial makes the connection between fuel efficiency and cleanliness . . . if a car is more fuel efficient by mpg, it would logically conclude that a car would burn fewer gallons per unit of time running - regardless of distance . . . I would have to expect that parking a hummer in a garage and running the engine would be more efficient for suicide than running a prius . . .

Needless to say, I'm really still not quite getting your argument - but then again, I grew up in Manhattan and was never really around cars much.

Also, I was under the impression that the issue was carbon monoxide (CO) . . . not carbon dioxide (CO2) . . .

So if I understand you correctly
Commercial argument:
A. Car gets better mpg
B. Better mpg is cleaner
C. Car is cleaner and won't kill you

But the car is not more fuel efficeint stopped (0 mpg). It's a false premise. That invalidates the argument.

Anything else is simply speculation on our parts (i.e. what kills you first, which puts out more per time, etc.).

Originally Posted by Airencracken

The damn thing wouldn't even be running. So either way it's immaterial.

Theoretically, it could be running if it's batteries were low enough (and the AC was on?). Perhaps another false premise.

**Airencracken** · 10-02-2005, 07:20 PM

yeah, except the new prius has electric A/C.

it is a false premise but it's an AD. I mean like ads are always truthful?

**Sirrich3** · 10-02-2005, 07:20 PM

Great Ad...Not a nice looking car though

**InfiniteNothing** · 10-02-2005, 07:21 PM

Originally Posted by AC

...

Yes but the car may run the engine at idle to preserve the battery if the battery was low enough. Good question.

**Airencracken** · 10-02-2005, 07:23 PM

Right I know. But it's an ad. grain of salt.

*Airencracken shoots gun of reasonablity at Infinite Nothing. HIT! IN's literalness drops 10 points!*

**InfiniteNothing** · 10-02-2005, 07:28 PM

'xactly. That's kinda what I was trying to say all along. Anyone else feel like they're in a special olymic race?

**Merlin** · 10-03-2005, 05:21 AM

Unless the radio and a/c are running the car would just be sitting there. No gas being burned. After a while the battery would run low and the recharging mechanism would kick in. But would that mechanism burn enough gas to fill the car with a deadly amount of emmissions? Or would the car just be periodically farting at you? You know enough to give you a headache but not enough to kill. After all the engine would only be running long enough to give the batteries a good charge. If it does that fast enough then the gasses will dissapate faster than they build. Ahh another pointless internet discussion.

**InfiniteNothing** · 10-03-2005, 09:05 AM

Anyone have a gen 2 prius an a troublesome child so we can finally resolve this.

**faither** · 10-03-2005, 09:37 AM

I have an '05 and tried it before leaving for work this morning. I was unable to kill myself using the Prius's emissions. The ICE (internal combustion engine) is off during idling.

I guess if you had a big enough garage you could just drive laps until offing yourself. Mine's only three cars.

**DarkFury** · 10-03-2005, 09:54 AM

Originally Posted by faither

I have an '05 and tried it before leaving for work this morning. I was unable to kill myself using the Prius's emissions. The ICE (internal combustion engine) is off during idling.

I guess if you had a big enough garage you could just drive laps until offing yourself. Mine's only three cars.

Did ya attach the hose to the exhaust pipe and lead it to the window too?