I not sure I quite understand your logic; as you say: I am not old enough to know much. The 50 mpg carb was around before you were born. You provided a sweet list of economy cars from 1978-1981. Didn't the 50mpg carb come out in the 50s? Read above my question to you more carefully.
I do have a question that really intrigues me: Can you explain how economy and emissions are the antithesis of each other? ?? Never heard that one before.
The replacement cost for a Prius battery is less than most automatic transmission replacement costs. The frequency is less than many transmission replacements. Do automatic transmissions scare you? Do you keep 2 cars with automatic transmissions in case one breaks? As for battery failures, I will let Google or your tutor bring you up to speed on the definition of "failure RATE".
I did not say the mythical 50 mpg carb. existed, I said that item, has been around for a looong time.
In today's vernacular, it may be called an "urban legend," though there are numerous types of patented carburettors out there that were supposed to be capable of incredible things, or just better.
Mineck, Kingsley, Pogue I believe are a few, though my spelling may be wrong.
There was one, the name of which I do not remember, which worked with gasoline vapour but the possibility of an explosion over-rode any gains it may have had, and this is going from old memory, it had a few.
Two years ago, I put a rebuilt warranted transmission in a rwd 1992 Buick Roadmaster with well over two hundred thousand miles on an engine that runs extremely well--- for twelve hundred dollars.
I had it done, I did not bust my own knuckles,--------A battery pack for a 2001 Prius, from what the net says, starts at three grand, plus or minus a few hundred--- IF you are lucky.
(I have the old tranny sitting in in the corner of my garage. When I get the urge to clean the garage out, I will rebuild it.)
Now if you have a fwd crap-wagon, it will cost you more-- but then anyone who drives a fwd crap-wagon deserves that misery (Just my opinion)
Your statement about having two cars in case of a tranny failure is just plain silly, but as I wrote, unless the Prius owner is male panti-waist who never gets his nails dirty, if he ever wants to haul anything, Toyota says he will need another vehicle.
Failure rate, unlike a transmission, or engine, or any part of a internal combustion only vehicle, it is not a matter of ---IF---
BUT WHEN.