Sure... Less Co2 but has any thought about where all the batterys are going to go after their 90K mile life? That wil lbe an enviromental nightmare in its own. How about crashing with 10+ leaking batterys behind you... I wouldnt want that!

 

SUV rollovers with leaky lead-acid batteries could lead to a significant boom in the plastic surgery industry.

 

Not an expert, so I can't say for sure. But I'm sure many life cycle studies have been done. And many battery technologies will allow for significant amount of material recycling.

As to the battery technology, it isn't stated. Toyota's present hybrids use nickel metal-hydride. Some are still looking at using lead-acid for cost reasons (it is also a pretty decent power battery, less good as an energy, ie pure EV battery). And others are looking at more advanced (and currently expensive) lithium batteries. And there are others still, though these three are the major automotive players.