raising kids with a hybrid

[tortugas]

We have a 2007 TCH fully loaded and absolutely love it!!!
A few days ago, ny neighbor asked me how safe the TCH battery in the trunk is as far as any electromagnetic fields that might be created similar to the worry about living near power lines?
Does anyone know if there is any such info about this?
Thanks...

[GeorgiaHybrid]

Here we go again....

Just tell the neighbor that you make the kids wear tin foil hats and that you installed lead plates underneath the rear seats so everything is A OK

There are NO documented cases by any reputable companies or agencies that show ANY health problems from the batteries, inverters or power cable on ANY hybrid. The power line problem involves AC current not DC current that is used in modern hybrids.

This is one of the problems with the internet. Any idiot can make a claim, someone else picks up on it and then thinks it is "fact" and starts telling everyone else about it. Your children are just as safe as mine are.

With hybrids having been sold in this country for 9 years, I'm sure someone would have won a lawsuit by now if there were ANY truth to this rumor. That is one area that I do consider something a fact. We have more than 10 times the lawyers we need.

[tortugas]

Thanks GeorgiaHybrid. That is very comforting news. I really did not want to part with Einstein, that's the nickname we gave out TCH because it is so damn smart!

[GeorgiaHybrid]

Enjoy your car, I know that I am. Even better, our hybrids are looking like they have better reliability than the other Camrys. I'm pretty sure they can't match our mileage

[razol]

I would be more worried about the health impact of the video game system that most kids (mine included) have on their lap in the car.

[Frodo65]

Originally Posted by tortugas

We have a 2007 TCH fully loaded and absolutely love it!!!
A few days ago, ny neighbor asked me how safe the TCH battery in the trunk is as far as any electromagnetic fields that might be created similar to the worry about living near power lines?
Does anyone know if there is any such info about this?
Thanks...

The EMF "risk" is from fields emitted by transmission lines in excess of 100,000 volts A/C. The hybrid battery is 245 volts DC, about the same voltage as your household 'high-draw' appliances. There is 600+ volt A/C current going from the inverter to MG1/MG2 (up front, nowhere near the back seat), shielded by the car's body, which is effectively a Faraday cage. EMF readings are likely to be substantially lower than sitting in front of a CRT.

The battery chemistry does present a bit of a risk, but if you ever breach containment of the battery pack, you'll have far bigger problems to deal with; the battery is quite well packaged and effectively armored, and any breach of the battery pack would most likely result from a fatal-force breach of the passenger compartment. About the only other mode of battery compartment breach is taking a few high-velocity rounds into it; again, the hazard is far greater from the bullets.

There are legitimate safety concerns in any vehicle - and by far the biggest and most probable risk is one from collision. Compared to that risk, any risk from EMF exposure is so low as to not be worth considering.

[tortugas]

Thanks to Frodo65. Looks like our TCH is a keeper!

[BillH]

Keep in mind also that the Camry Hybrid is a pretty safe car in general. It has good crash ratings (although mediocre results for rear-end crashes) and has very advanced dynamic vehicle control, which helps keep you out of accidents in the first place. See the IIHS (iihs.org) for further info.

Your kids' risk of being hurt in an accident surely are a lot higher than any potential risk from DC currents -- and the latter risk is pretty much a non-issue as others have pointed out already. So concentrating on traditional safety issues is a lot more important for your your kids health!