Is it greener to buy a new car or drive the old one into the ground? - Grist
And I don’t blame you: In the old-truck-versus-new-hybrid battle, the best answer is not immediately obvious. And yes, hybrids have an even larger original sin because of their more resource-intensive batteries (we don’t know exactly how much bigger, unfortunately, or this question would be easier). But burning gas releases lots of carbon too, and here’s where hybrids shine: Their improved fuel efficiency quickly gets them up to speed in the emissions department. If your beloved truck’s gas mileage isn’t so great ( under 25 mpg or so), the new hybrid is probably the best choice — especially if you drive that new hybrid until it just can’t go anymore, which might be 200,000 miles or more. There are a truckload of variables involved in answering your question precisely, so forgive me if these figures are less than precise. But the science says that the lifetime carbon emissions from a fuel-efficient vehicle end up significantly lower than a gas guzzler’s, even a used one. I looked at the annual fuel use and carbon emissions (tailored to a Fairfax driver, no less) for one of the 2015 Priuses*, a 2000 Ford F150 pickup, and, to spice things up a bit, the electric 2015 Nissan Leaf. Source: grist.org
