I’ve been looking around some on car forums for any solid RECENT studies with Hybrid and Electric Cars with prolonged use to the huge electro magnetic field that is being used, if there are any SOLID facts about health problems that might generate over time. I know large electric motors are loved everywhere like LIghtrail, Facories, Machineries and now Hybrids and Electric cars are way cool for being a huge benefit for a greener environment.
My delema is that I was almost 100% sure it that wouldn’t cause any problem with things like radiation (like phones might), or to parts of the body like the eyes (only when they are closed) and to the heart and both only mildly affected it seems like in the study (something having to do with nerves mildly with the eyes and the pulsing of the heartbeat that creats a tiny bit of electricity is what I read in thier studies.) I was trying to talk my mother into buying a hybrid because my mother travels 10s of thousands of miles a year between north CA and South CA and her and my step father just replaced her old 2004 Toyota camry with a 2011 Toyota Camry and I said wow hey SWEET car what with ALL the haha new exterior and all the lights on the interior with smooth acceleration and all of course. Then, later in the day I came to realize that, Woahhh heh, this car WASN"T a nice, not that much more in price HYBRID Camry! Sadly she reminded me that she wasn’t that fond of them because she wasn’t sure if it would cause a health problem. I’m kinda guessing that this information she heard was not very concrete or maybe it is that someone was Superstitious or something.
I was hoping that someone was way up on this study since I myself havn’t taken the hybrid course at school and I Really, Gosh Dangit, I would like to fix up my mothers Hybrid into a 100 mile per gallon carefully upgraded vehicle Dang it!!!haha (or just do that for myself if she doen’t let me)
THX, I’d appreciate the help from the fellow (Safe & Cool friendly witted Mechanic/Do-it-Yourselfer)_M.H.- 26 fromCA
I’d bet most of the miles driven by mom are on the highway. Not much benefit to go to hybrid. Hybrid gives the most benefit when most of the travel miles is stop and go driving. The hybrid Carmry does carry a premium price of a couple of thousand over the conventional and would take years to justify the extra money in the case of your mom.
Likely no health problems with hybrids. Currently, there are virtually no good studies on the topic as yet. Relax and let her enjoy her new car. If you are so sure hybrids are wonderful, you can get one for yourself.
Nothing has the potential to be a health hazard more than he internal combustion engine in cars of today. The electromagnetic fields you deal with in daily life are of a concern and I’m sure any additional one could cause worry. But, like Turbo said, it’s a small part of the total and unless you’re ready for mom to start doing without all of them, the time spent in a hybrid won’t be a problem.
A. You are way all over the map with your writing. This can’t be your best work.
B. Report back when you find a hybrid that gets 100 mpg.
There are people that work daily around huge generators that generate a magnetic field well over 100 times more powerful then that of a ANY cars hybrid engine…And they do it 8-10 hours a day for year and years without any ill-effect. If there was any truth to this it would have been an issue years ago in other industries.
And while I don’t know the reletive strength, homes and offices are ringed with 60-cycle ac wiring that generates lots of magnetic fields, no issues there, either, just as no issues have been found with homes near high power lines after years of studies. So I wouldn’t worry. Actually, I don’t worry, I drive a hybrid.
Henry Ford and Thomas Edison both hated alternating current. Henry Ford had his estate powered by a direct current generator. If Henry and Tom are to be believed, we had better switch back to generators that were used through the 1950s instead of alternators that were used on Chrysler products in 1960 and then adopted by the entire auto industry.
I think that Ford has broken away from the philosophy of old Henry Ford. Henry Ford would never have allowed a hybrid vehicle, yet there is a Ford Fusion hybrid. It seems to me sleeping under an electric blanket would subject a person to more magnetic field exposure than riding in a hybrid.
It’s probably beneficial to ride in one. Those magnetic bracelets, back supports and shoe insoles can be discarded if you own an electric or hybrid vehicle.
It never ceases to amaze me how people will latch on to some internet rumor of some technology that will give you some horrible disease, and yet those same people refuse to believe doctors when they say vaccines don’t cause autism. It’s as though a subset of our population has decided that the random 13 year old anonymous internet poster is a more scientifically valid source than someone with an MD.
In short, no, nothing to see here, move on.
If you’re really worried about the electromagnetic fields you might experience in a hybrid or electric car, then you need to back away from your computer screen right now. It’s powered by demon E L E C T R I C T Y!!! Especially if you have one of those older CRT monitors, where on the other side of the glass, mere inches from your body, exists 25,000 volts of demon electricity.
I can remember when people were trying to sell their homes if they were near the power lines. I remember the testing proved that the individual would receive less IMF under an electric blanket, and either was less than the electric alarm clock beside the bed.
Magnetism is not harmful. If it were, all those MRIs I’ve had would have toasted me by now. The greater danger to her is the traffic, and there’s nothing you can do about that.
“huge electro magnetic field that is being used”
The EM fields in a hybrid car are so different than in a conventional car.
High efficiency electric motors keep their magnetic fields well shielded and contained within the motor, doing work.
The blower motor for the heat/AC probably leaks more EM stuff into the passenger compartment.
The hybrid motors also have the steel firewall and floor pan acting as a shield to the passengers.
We’re also not talking about high voltage. These systems have an EMF of less than 500 volts.
As a pacemaker patient, I can tell you there are no issues related to magnetic fields and electric vehicles, including hybrids. I can use a cell phone, wireless internet, and an iPod, as long as I am smart enough to not place these devices directly on top of my pacemaker. I have driven a Camry hybrid many miles, and I have not had a single issue.
Even a normal internal combustion engine could be hazardous if I let my pacer get near the spark plug wires or rotor while the engine is running, but I would be stupid to do that even if I didn’t have a pacemaker.
Everyone makes a big deal about safety of new technology. Don’t believe the hype.