The Effects of Hybrid Cars on Ozone Layer

A study performed by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) on hybrid cars and their effects on ozone has shown that the use of these vehicles does effectively reduce greenhouse gases. EarthLab has further shown that the Toyota Prius, a hybrid vehicle, has a lifelong carbon footprint of 44 metric tons, considerably less than the carbon footprint of 63 tons produced by the average, non-hybrid American midsized car.

Hybrid Vehicles

Hybrid vehicles are fuel-efficient cars with both a gasoline-powered engine and an electric motor. Through a study initiated by the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Electric Power Research Institute, it was shown that over a 40-year projection of plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) sales, there would be a reduction of between 3.4 billion and 10.3 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases. These gases are a compound of chemicals that mix with the ozone layer and trap heat that is then reflected back to Earth, instead of dispersing into space. This study included variables of low, medium and high market penetrations. Results such as these lend weight to the belief that the electrification of transport will represent a decrease in pollution. A number of countries, including the U.S. and several nations in Europe, have passed laws to facilitate the introduction of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles through tax credits and grants.

Hybrid Batteries

In a report submitted to the Worcester Polytechnic Institute by Laura Friedman, it was indicated that the process involved in manufacturing batteries for hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) could be harmful to the ozone layer. These batteries are traditionally made of nickel metal hydride, and it was calculated by Friedman that in excess of 130 pounds of sulfur dioxide is created through the manufacture of a single battery. Despite this important fact, the batteries used by hybrid vehicles are easy to recycle. In the States, there is a recycling rate of 90 percent for the batteries of hybrid vehicles.

Carbon Footprint

The University of Michigan's Center for Sustainable Systems has estimated that an average American midsized car will leave a carbon footprint of 63 tons of carbon dioxide after travelling 120,000 miles. The Toyota Prius, a hybrid vehicle, leaves a carbon footprint of 44 metric tons.