Prius Owners: Are They Bad At Math?

Posted by Sean | Posted under Cars, Economics, Gas | July 18, 2008

Lately in the mainstream media and on personal finance blogs, I’ve have seen comments that people are uninformed or have poor math skills if they buy expensive hybrids. Hmm… why do people say Prius owners are bad at math, but not people who own Hummers?

Is it assumed that the H2 owners derive so much pleasure from their rigs that math is irrelevant? And that Prius drivers are so miserable in their car that the only way to justify it is 100% cost savings?

What if Prius drivers get a different satisfaction that justifies the premium? What if instead of short-term individual satisfaction, they are more focused on a longer-term satisfaction… individually, nationally, globally?

QUESTION: How much oil would it take to buy the entire United States?

Now, I do -not- own a hybrid and I would -not- trade my 30+ MPG beater for one. Personally, the math is not even in the ballpark, and I’m more interested in future hybrid generations. (I’m also looking forward to a larger supply of used hybrids.) However, I’m grateful to anyone who "takes one for the team" to save energy and move us further down the demand curve.

If 100% of drivers had trucks and SUVs, we might already have $6 gas. Or higher.

For that reason, I think all drivers should be relieved when they see fuel-efficient cars.

Shoot… we’ll be lucky if the Chinese don’t put too many miles on our used Hummers.

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