I would take this kind of hybrid buses as a stepping stone to
something more green, perhaps a full electric or alternative source
energy powered vehicle.
Yes, there are plenty of materials wasted and destroyed,
emissions made in the production of the vehicle. Heck, even the bus
bodywork is made from limited materials mined from the earth. Given
the current situation however, there seems to be little alternative
to this.
I would take Japan as an example here, they manufacture the
batteries and produce the hybrid buses and vehicles. Industries
have caps on emissions as well, not only the vehicles, hence the
government there implemented laws to restrict industrial emissions,
all the way from manufacturing to the end user. Recycling to them
is almost a compulsory thing as well. A complete package of
restriction is necessary to ensure that the end product is more
efficient in inflicting less harm on the environment than a
conventional method made product.
However if you are presenting the point that 'we're still not
doing enough for the environment', I would like to hear from you;
what kind of bus or vehicle would be the ultimate green vehicle? Do
not take this as a challenge; I just want to hear from your
point.
I concur with your points, its just that when we read about such
things, it must be with a pinch of salt.
I wasn't thinking in line with "greener" buses. As you have
pointed out, even our everyday objects contain rare earth, but the
thing about this hybrid bus is that it contains a lot more of these
precious metals.
It is simply not sustainable.
As it is, even if we do not talk about the environment at the
moment, China is the one that produces much of the rare earth
(>90% I believe), and it is now mulling over whether to restrict
supplies to the global market. Will half a million bucks be the
lowest price we'll be seeing? I'm not sure personally.
Disposing off this bus and its battery will be another
issue.
There have been talks about getting people to use enhanced
technology to induce stay-at-home working, but that's not likely to
happen on a large scale either. Buses will stay.
Objectively speaking, we're not doing enough, but it is more
because of our lifestyle choices these days and a lack of
alternatives. We need to travel more now because we are able to and
are expected to. Yeah, implicit acknowledgement on my part that at
least there's something being done, even if I disagree that it
should be more than a trial bus and hence experimentation with
technology.
