Is Radiation From Hybrid Vehicles Cause for Concern?
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Mar 10, 2010
Angular Rear Exterior View - 2004 Honda Insight 3dr HB CVT w/Air Cond
actually be dangerous to drivers? It seems like an unfounded
question. How could hybrids actually hurt their occupants? A study
conducted by a research committee funded by the Environmental Protection
group of Israel suggests that hybrid could actually be harmful to the
environment and humans, as well. The study found "surplus" radiation in
some hybrid models.The study took 9 months to conduct and the research group focuses on hybrid models sold in Israel, as well as worldwide. The "surplus" radiation is generated by the electromagnetic field made by AC current flowing from the batteries to the engine and back again. This type of radiation, known as non ionizing radiation, is similar to that found in a typical cellphone. How dangerous is this type of radiation? The answer remains to be discovered.
Last year, controversial research conducted by a website called Walla! found that driving a previous generation Toyota Prius
in a normal manner at constant speeds produced from 14 to 30 mG. The
numbers vary depending upon your position within the vehicle.
Furthermore, testing has shown that radiation is the highest when the
batter is either nearly full or nearly empty.What do the numbers mean? Is it unsafe to drive a hybrid? The numbers have little meaning without comparison to other objects and without medical proof that exposure to this type and level of radiation is harmful.
Even without medical evidence, the Ministry of Environmental Protection in Israel is expected to post the results of the study which includes many different hybrid vehicles. If published, this radiation list will be the first of its kind in the world. The list will be broke down into 3 categories including safe, excessive, and an unlisted group. The current Prius
will be placed in the safe group. But the Honda Insight and Civic Hybrid are expected to land in the excessive group.The research committee that conducted the investigation also recently advised that the Israeli Police force omit hybrid cars from its fleet of vehicles due to medical concerns.
While it's possible that radiation could be a concern, proof is needed before any undue determination is made. Publicly posting results to this study without concrete proof of proven medical concerns is irresponsible and ill advised. Take the findings of this study with caution as hybrids
have been on our roads here for more than a decade with no known radiation related illnesses reported.Source: The Truth About Cars
end quote from:
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1043210_is-radiation-from-hybrid-vehicles-cause-for-concern
My thought has always been since my father was an electrical contractor and since I was raised also to be an electrician summers from 12 to 17 by working with my father as an extra trade if I needed it, I always thought that hybrids were problematic unless they came equipped with the kind of radiation shielding that dentists use for x-rays in the floors, dashboard and and any other parts of the cars between the electric motors and batteries that are directly between the driver and occupants of the car and the electrical devices.
Otherwise, the electrical coronas always existent in larger electric motors and large batteries while generating would be sort of like always having a cellphone up to your ear while driving a car only the effect would be throughout one's body instead of just causing problems to one's brain like with a cell phone. So, because of this my logical thought is that it is better to get a high mileage gas or diesel powered car to save gasoline rather than to harm oneself over time with electrical coronas sometimes called radiation by driving a car that is slowly going to kill you (if you drive enough over time) in say 10 to 20 years of driving all the time. Also, the thousands of dollars it costs to replace the batteries every few years is a drawback too. So, just by owning a high mileage car like a Hyundai Elantra (best in it's class last year) one could accomplish the same task without harming oneself with radiation or the cost of changing batteries so often. Also, there is less chance of getting electrocuted if you get into an accident with a gas or diesel car than there is with a hybrid.
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