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Is the Hummer really Greener than the Prius? No.
“Dust to Dust” Report Mislead the Media and
Public with Bad Science
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(OAKLAND, Calif.) The CNW Marketing Research, Inc.’s 2007 “Dust to
Dust: The Energy Cost of New Vehicles From Concept to Disposal” caught
the interest of the media and the public with its claim that a Hummer H3
SUV has a lower life-cycle energy cost than a Toyota Prius hybrid.
Closer inspection by the Pacific Institute, a nonpartisan think-tank,
suggests that the report’s conclusions rely on faulty methods of
analysis, untenable assumptions, selective use and presentation of data,
and a complete lack of peer review. Re-analysis yields results that are
often opposite of CNW’s conclusions.
The most cursory look at CNW’s assumptions reveals serious biases and
flaws. For instance, the average Hummer H1 is assumed to travel 379,000
miles over a 35-year lifetime, while the average Prius is assumed to
last only 109,000 miles over less than 12 years. These assumptions are
selective and unsupported, and they distort the report’s findings.
Changing just the total lifetime mileage assumption reverses the
conclusions: the Prius (and comparable automobiles) consume far less
energy over their lifetimes than larger vehicles, especially the largest
SUVs like Hummers.
The Institute calls on CNW to release its full report, including
methods, assumptions, and data. Until “Dust to Dust” can be
substantiated, the public and policymakers should ignore its
conclusions. Unfortunately, “Dust to Dust” has already distorted the
public debate.
Download the Pacific Institute's seven page re-analysis of “Dust to
Dust” (PDF) at
http://www.pacinst.org/topics/integrity_of_science/case_studies/hummer_vs_prius.pdff
 Founded in 1987 and based in Oakland, California the Pacific
Institute is an independent, nonpartisan think-tank studying issues at
the intersection of development, environment, and security. The
Institute’s Integrity of Science Initiative responds to and counters the
assault on science and scientific integrity in the public policy arena.
www.pacinst.org
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