Ecofriendly Wheels Can't Get A Break

Why don't hybrid vehicles with ultra-low-emissions qualify for government incentives while more polluting competitors do?

1 minute read

September 12, 2000, 7:00 AM PDT

By Abhijeet Chavan @http://twitter.com/legalaidtech


Hybrid cars such as the Toyota Prius or the Honda Insight are not eligible for government incentives even though they are ultra-low-emission vehicles. Meanwhile vehicles that run on alternative fuels but are still not as eco-friendly qualify for government incentives. Why?The answer may lie in the politics of the 1970s.A recent hybrid buyer says, "'We have a Clean Air Act, not a Reduce Dependency on Foreign Oil Act'...noting that what comes out of the tailpipe should matter more than what goes into the gas tank."

Thanks to Abhijeet Chavan

Monday, September 11, 2000 in Salon

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