Okay, so I've had my HCH for 1.5 months now, getting approximately 45mpg in mostly city driving, and I love it.

But I'd like people to know that it's a hybrid. And not just so that big gas-guzzling SUVs drivers can sneer at me, like they seem to do at Prius owners (not that I'm jealous or anything...).

I have found that most people that I talk to are really interested in the car, and impressed with the mileage, and also with the fact that it is a 'normal' car. But they had no idea it is a hybrid. And since I'm not friends with everybody, most folks just think this is another Honda Civic.

So I find myself wishing that there was something distinguishable (other than the antenna, and subtle grill and spoiler, which are only noticeable to those of us 'in the know') that identifies this car as a hybrid.

Has anybody done anything in this regard?

 

I think they sell bumperstickers on this site or something. Also, you could put a sign in your window saying "I got xxMPG on my last tank."

 

My wife had the same feeling, so she actually suggested getting a personalized license plate. We did:

HALF GAS

It seems to work. I've had many people ask me about it, and they immediately know what the license plate means. If you're sitting at a light, you can see the reaction from the person behind you when they see it -- a lot of pointing.

Mark

 

There are body shops that can professionally apply writing or even designs on cars.

I was thinking of having them put the word H Y B R I D in big letters on the back of the trunk lid.
Of course that metalic Honda "H" thingie will be in the middle of the word.
If you make it the right color and font it may look cool.

 

If you're interested in hybrid merchandise, here are a few items for your car. There's a new bumber sticker, as well. http://www.cafepress.com/greenhybrid/315100

 

Once I was thinking of making a sign...really just a dry erase board and put suction cup fasteners on the corners to attach to one of my car windows.
It could display my last tank MPG efforts.

I decided against it because so far I have, no dings, not even one scratch...except where the wife scraped the front wheel against a curb and a couple usual sand-size pits in the front spoiler area.
I take extreme care not to park where other doors can't ding, generally out of the way.

Call me paranoid but for my luck I'll get a nasty long knife scratch down the side for condgradulations if I put such a sign.

Anyone know how the chrome HYBRID lettering is attached to the car body?
If it's bolted or easily removed it would be easy to make a green glowing background with a sheet of plastic and some LED's.

 

Steve,
I believe its a double sided sticky tape on most new cars, then again my friend's Jeep is done w/ a bolt.
Cheers,
Steven

Edited: Darn spelling!

 

According to the drawing on hondaautomotiveparts.com there are no bolts or clips holding it on so I would go with stevo's hunch that its doublesided stickytape.

 

I've got one of those cool GreenHybrid 55mpg plate holders. While the plate holder is cool for showing people the car in a parking lot, the lettering is too small to be seen while underway . I'm not about to put a sticker on my car so what we need is a back window readout showing our mileage in real time in huge lit letters!

 

Those are all great suggestions!

I was also thinking that maybe Honda or somebody would have a decal that would either go on the outside rear panel(s), like over the gas tank door. Or maybe a window sticker to go in either the back, or down low on the rear windows.

Or, up nearer the front wheel-well. I used to have a 2002 Honda Civic Si, and it advertised it's "i-VTEC" engine in that location. Ironically, due to confusion about the meaning of that decal and the fact that the car is sort of different-looking, a whole bunch of people asked me "is that one of those hybrids?" Nobody has asked me that about my HCH!