ABSTRACT

Those seeking to tread lightly on this good earth are encouraged, via societal marketing, to achieve that worthy goal by replacing their carbon-belching petrol autos with hybrid autos. The idea is that hybrid autos gain efficiencies-of-scope by combining the best aspects of petrol and electric motors. However, while the hybrid auto design may have been intended by auto manufacturers to be an efficient and elegant interim response to rising environmental concerns and the need for alternative-energy transportation, the hybrid reality may be much less propitious. Specifically, a strong and rising body of literature suggests that hybrid autos tend to involve so many trade-offs (in technology, safety, materials and efficiency) that they (for the moment) fall short of a viable, efficient and sustainable solution. Specifically, literature, product reviews and other analysis clearly show that (when a pairwise comparison of hybrid autos is made with equivalent petrol models) hybridisation of autos appears to deliver little to no significant fuel efficiencies. Further, given the current state of the relevant technologies, much of the vaunted efficiencies of hybrid autos should (ceteris paribus) be overwhelmed by significant increases in vehicle curb weight arising from an extra engine/generator, large battery packs, four regenerative braking mechanisms to recapture braking energy and the added circuit breakers/fuses and other advanced electronics needed for the electric- and/or charging-phase of hybrid autos. While these added items are becoming ever more efficient, it is unlikely that they are sufficiently efficient to deliver their services at the reported relatively small or negative weight differentials. One way to achieve these efficiencies is via a lightening of the auto (via reduced fuel tanks, smaller tyres, lighter materials, lighter seats, dashes, insulation/coatings, etc.) that are 632neither unique to hybrid autos nor are precluded from being done to petrol autos. However, these changes are not widely adopted in non-hybrid autos because consumers tend to object to the way such changes can also inflate an auto’s cost and/or increase wear and tear and/or reduce the comfort of the ride, the quality of handling of the car and occupant safety in an accident.

It is equally important to note that all autos are becoming more efficient in raw material use, energy and in being recycled. Further, the unutilised scope in extant technology to enhance the cradle-to-grave green of autos suggests that exotic evolving technology (like hybridisation) is less about cost-effectiveness than some other inducement.

If malice and/or cupidity are discounted as the driving forces behind the overly enthusiastic societal marketing of hybrid autos, what remains is a common vital limitation of green societal marketing. Specifically, it often has a myopic appeal to limited aspects of consumer use that ignores the less appealing aspects and conflicts of a product that may arise during its life cycle (e.g. from creation through use and on to senescence/disposal).

This chapter uses an iterative process to illustrate how some sustainability claims can be illusory in nature. Sustainability in consumer products should involve a cradle-to-grave process with the cradle being resource sourcing of the consumer product, which then flows into product production, distribution and consumer use, and (ideally) be completed via closed-system recycling loops. Unfortunately, the product termination is often via leaky or illusory recycling loops that lead to disposal of the product, its parts and/or its more toxic elements in landfill tips, boneyards and/or via abandonment. The concept of life-cycle sustainability has proven the green credentials of such ephemeral (and presumed wasteful) products as paper cups and disposable diapers. This chapter will show the importance of lifecycle sustainability in evaluating the greenness of durable goods. In this case, hybrid autos from three manufacturers (i.e. BMW, Hyundai and Toyota) are pairwise contrasted with their full-petrol (nonhybrid) analogues. While hybrid autos appear to be an ideal example of societal marketing (e.g. they are marketed at a premium as being an efficient and viable part of the sustainability solution), hybrid autos appear to be long on image and short on performance. It is hoped that this chapter will incite and expand discussion on the net contribution of hybrid autos as part of environment sustainability.