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Monday, 26 May 2008 05:01 |
California is one of the few states that provide huge incentive on hybrid vehicle purchase. This incentive is not limited to tax credits only like other states. You can avoid highway lane restriction; get parking privilege if you are driving a hybrid vehicle. Also some of Californians City offer benefit on hybrid cars. Here are some benefits in California for buying hybrid vehicles:
State Hybrid HOV: On Jan. 1, 2005, CA will allow hybrid electric vehicles that get at least 45mpg and have SULEV emissions ratings to use high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes without regard to the number of passengers in the vehicle. As of 8/10, this incentive is now in operation. Current eligible vehicles include the Toyota Prius, Honda Insight and Honda Civic hybrid. Vehicles must have special decals in order to use HOV lanes. Note: A total of 75,000 decals are available and will be granted on a "first come-first served" basis. For more information go to http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/carpool/carpool.htm
San Jose Free Hybrid Parking: Free parking at downtown San Jose public parking facilities and on-street meters throughout the City for Clean-Fuel Vehicles purchased in San Jose. Began 1/1/03. Eligibility-- Contact-- Jason Burton (408) 794-1427,
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.
Los Angeles Hybrid Free Parking -- Gas-electric hybrid cars can park at parking meters for free, but can still be ticketed for exceeding the time allotment for metered spaces. The ran through a 6 month trial period from October 2004-March 2005. The LA City Council recently voted an extension of the incentive through May 2005 while the LA Department of Transportation prepares an evaluation. Police Officers have been trained to recognize hybrid cars.
If you own a Zero Emission Vehicle or Super Low Emission Vehicle as defined by the California Air Resources Board, you may purchase a California Clean Air Vehicle Decal from the California Department of Motor Vehicles. Once you have purchased and affixed the decal to your vehicle per DMV instructions, you can park without depositing coins at metered parking spaces (however, you remain subject to the posted time limit restrictions) throughout the city. To find out how to obtain a California Clean Air Vehicle Decal, go to: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/vr/decal.htm
According to a representative at the LA Department of Transporation, four hybrid vehicles were identified as eligible to receive the free metered parking privileges during the pilot program: Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid, Honda Insight and Ford Escape Hybrid.
For more information e-mail the LA Department of Transportation at
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.
Insurance Discount for Hybrids (private): Los Angeles-based Farmers Insurance company is offering a 5 percent discount on auto insurance to California customers driving hybrid-electric models. The discount, effective October 1, 2005, is for all customers who own a hybrid or alternative-fuel vehicle. All new business customers will receive the discount as of the new business date, and existing customers will receive the discount upon renewal.
Hybrid Tax Credit (bill): AB 838 would provide purchasers of hybrid vehicles a credit against net tax in an amount equal to a specified percentage of the amount paid as vehicle license fee (VLF) during the taxable year. The percentage of the credit would depend on emissions ratings. ZEV autos would receive 100 percent of the credit, PZEVs 90 percent, ATPZEVs 85 percent, and SULEVs 80 percent. ULEVs would also qualify if the vehicle obtained an EPA-raded 75 mpg or above (75 percent of the credit) or between 33 and 75 mpg (between 33 percent and 74 percent, accordingly). The bill was not passed in the 2005 legislative session.
Hybrid Internet Sales (bill): AB 1223 would allow direct sales of hybrid vehicles from manufacturers to customers without having to go through a dealer. This bill failed to pass the Transportation Committee on 5/2/05.
Santa Barbara County Incentives for Hybrids: Incentive funding ($1000) for up to ten (10) hybrid vehicles is available for Santa Barbara Air Pollution Control District residents. Funding currently depleted. Contact--Irene Salazar
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. Responsible agency--California Energy Commission. Program ended March 30, 2004 and is no longer in effect.
Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com
Mr. Rahman is a freelance writer. He writes about automobiles mainly about hybrid cars and electric vehicles. You can find his writing on his website at: www.whybuyhybrid.com
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Thursday, 22 May 2008 18:00 |
Buying a hybrid car is more than a calculated decision to save fuel. It is a statement about "saving the planet".
Even if the chances are pretty slim that hybrid technology will actually make much difference, it gives hybrid owners the right to feel superior. After all, they care about the planet. And the rest of the world obviously doesn"t.
But if you"re one of those hybrid owners you"d better be ready to lose some friends. Here"s why...
1. You"re Driving Way Too Slow
In theory at least, hybrid owners are the antithesis of those guys who just ache to get in that passing lane and leave the rest of us behind. You know the type...you"re minding your own business coming out onto the expressway and the otherwise ordinary guy in the vehicle behind you swings out and passes even before you"ve hit the highway.
Hybrid owners seem to do just the opposite. You"ve known for years that driving slow saves fuel. So you"re likely to be driving under the speed limit rather than over like the rest of the world.
The fact that you"re driving a hybrid just makes it worse, since you know that all the potential savings are squandered if you try to go fast.
Especially when you"re accelerating. That guy in the high powered vehicle who pulls out and passes... the thought of saving gas has never crossed his mind. But hydrid owners know better. For you it"s a moral duty to save fuel. The fate of the planet depends on it. So there"s no way you"re going to try any of that fast acceleration stuff.
2. What"s with the Pulse and Glide Stuff
You"ve been told that "pulse and glide" can make a serious difference to your gas milage. That"s where you accelerate (conservatively) to the speed limit, and then let the car "glide" to 10 or more miles per hour below the speed limit. Repeat this procedure. Repeat this procedure. Repeat this procedure...
I once had a friend who drove like this. I thought he was dozing off between pulses, but now I know differently. He was actually doing the environmentally responsible thing.
My friend"s driving habits aside, this practice is not going to endear you to all the rest of the drivers who can"t figure out why you keep slowing down. It"s probably smart to speed up just a little when you find yourself in anything other than the "slow" lane.
All bets are off when they let you use the carpool lane.
3. You Just Won"t Inch Forward Will You!
Everybody else in the world knows that you must "inch" forward during stop and go traffic. How else are you going to keep up with the driver in front. Besides, if you leave more than about a 15" gap between you and the guy ahead somebody"s going to jump into the gap and slow you down even more.
Hybrid drivers have been told this "inching forward" stuff is pointless and wastes fuel. And the way they build hybrids these days they"ve got a point. When you take your foot off the brake pedal the auto-stop turns off and the gasoline engine restarts -- like one of those gasoline engine golf carts. And there goes most of your gas savings. All those stops and starts just eat up the gas.
But don"t expect your mono-drive cousins to understand. They"ve only got one thing in mind: to get wherever they"re going just as fast as possible. And everybody knows that racing up behind the guy in front is the only way to make that happen.
4. Do you really think you should be drafting me like that?
The responsible hybrid owner will make use of every advantage to save gas. And drafting larger vehicles is one technique that the more aggressive will try. That"s where you pull right up behind a semi, a van, or an SUV and try to stay in the pocket of air they are pulling along behind them.
I remember doing this with an old "65 Beetle a few years back. We were travelling along the New York Thruway drafting semis. We were making great time and saving lots of gas... until we blew a rod.
Of course, sticking on someone’s bumper will not endear you to too many of your fellow drivers. And as I discovered, it"s a bit dangerous too. You"ll find yourself going quite a bit faster than you otherwise would go. And whipping along in that back-draft does not do a lot for your stability.
Just try to remember, when you"re out there on the highway trying to save the planet, the rest of the world could care less about your morally superiour driving habits. All they want to do is get where they"re going as fast as they can.
Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com
Rick Hendershot publishes Linknet News | Advertise to Targeted Buyers - More than 1,100 specialized websites and 46 million imp/month | California Traffic School
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Monday, 12 May 2008 05:01 |
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The future of the hybrid battery car is so bright you have to
wear shades. Some would say the interest in the plug in hybrid
is down right electrifying.
The hybrid battery car got a huge boost when President Bush
featured it in a speech on his energy policy. It"s part of the
plan to replace over three-quarters of Mideast oil imports by
the year 2025.
The location the President chose to give the speech is also
significant. He spoke at Johnson Controls, a Milwaukee auto
parts company that is making lithium-ion battery cells for the
next generation of the hybrid battery car.
The race for hybrid technologies continues as the U.S. Energy
Department pushes for hydrogen fuel cells to replace gasoline in
cars. The department has targeted the year 2024 as a time when
those fuel cells will be widely used in hybrid vehicles of all
kinds.
There are really two forces driving the development of hybrid
technologies. Number one is the uncertain Mideast sources of
fossil fuels. The other is the cost per barrel of oil. As the
cost of oil increases the race for information on hybrid cars
becomes even more important.
Because hydrogen fuel is very expensive to transport some
predict that the hybrid battery and ethanol technologies will
precede any hybrid fuel based on hydrogen.
Government support means that plug in hybrid cars are on the
horizon. These vehicles would get a battery charge from an
ordinary electric outlet. Lithium-ion batteries will make this
possible. These batteries will be large versions of the
lithium-ion battery you use in your cell phone. You could be
driving a plug-in hybrid by the year 2010.
The energy density of lithium-ion is typically twice that of the
standard nickel-cadmium battery. There is even a growing
potential for higher energy densities with these power source.
Lithium-ion is a low maintenance battery, an advantage that most
other battery types can"t match. Self-discharge is less than
half compared to nickel-cadmium, making lithium-ion well suited
for modern fuel gauge applications. They pose no threat to the
environment for lithium-ion cells cause little harm when
discarded.
Like most hybrid technologies, this one has its draw backs.
Chief among them is that the lithium-ion batteries are fragile
and require a protection circuit to maintain safe operation. All
short comings are expected to be overcome as research and
development continue.
To be successful hybrid fuel technologies must include petroleum
alternatives. Right now ethanol would lessen the need for oil if
mixed with gasoline. Here in the U.S we already make nearly 4
billion gallons of ethanol from corn. The irony is that a great
deal of energy is needed to manufacture ethanol and that energy
often comes from fossil fuel and natural gas.
Ethanol is an alcohol-based alternative fuel that is produced by
fermenting and distilling starch crops that have been converted
into simple sugars. Feed stocks for this fuel include corn,
barley, and wheat.
Ethanol has a better chance of surviving as an important hybrid
fuel when it is made from "cellulosic biomass" such as trees and
grasses. These produce a hybrid fuel called bioethanol. Ethanol
is used to increase octane and improve the emissions quality of
gasoline.
Ethanol is blended with gasoline to create E85, a blend of 85%
ethanol and 15% gasoline. E85 and blends with even higher
concentrations of ethanol qualify as alternative fuels under the
Energy Policy Act. Vehicles that run on E85 are called flexible
fuel vehicles (FFVs) and can currently be purchased from several
vehicle manufacturers.
There will be one surviving hybrid fuel in the future. What is
your guess on which it will be? Or are there some surprise
hybrid technologies in our future?
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