I just saw the below linked news article from MSNBC that shows the expected 2006 tax credits for various Hybrids. I was suprised to notice the Honda Insight did not pass emissions and therefore will not be eligible for a rebate??

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/9052541/

 

The link just given, along with another last night is making my Insight MT seem like a virtual diesel from a pollution standpoint.

On one hand, the Insight 5-speed has the best fuel economy of any gas engine car yet produced. It also produces the least greenhouse gases and is ULEV rated.

ULEV is not the best rating, but why has it suddenly become so "dirty"?

 

Thanks.Before the latest gas hikes-Katrina-when gas jumped $1(I paid $2 about 2 months ago before King Saud died- the best bet was that folks were going to wait to buy until Jan 2006.Well,the $1 jump changed that.It will be interesting to see how dealers manage to get a good percentage of this tax break.My guess is that they will attempt to get about 70% of it(by adding $2000 to their current selling prices).If gas stays high,folks will buy;if gas drops to $2/gal-then demand will drop.I really doubt we will see $2 gas,but who knows.Consumption will drop now that many SUV's are being parked,and more efficient vehicles are becoming hot items-just like 79-80.Luck,Charlie

 

Look on the bright side: if Honda DID make a diesel-electric Insight, it would probably get 120 mpg!

 

It seems as if they are not going to offer the tax credit for the manual Insight... The CVT version still qualifies. I guess they had to draw the line somewhere, and Honda could offer a non lean burn manual that would qualify, but since the Insight is such a tiny percent of the hybrids being sold, they probably aren't interested in sinking much R&D into it just to make it get the credit.

 

The 5-speed Insight may be one of the few cars that will ever have lean burn. I'm hoping that it's successor uses cylinder deactivation instead.

Last May, I was in Northern California. Saw plenty of Prius' and a few HCHs, but no Insights. Now I know why....

 

Well, ULEV is still pretty good... I guess they just decided it was not good enough for the credit. I mean, the air would be much cleaner if all vehicles were ULEV.

 

I live in Northern CA (San Jose area) and I see 4-6 Insights in my daily commutes; three red, two silver, one citrus green, one blue so I'd guess there are more. I didn't have too much problem finding them at a dealer, two within 30 miles of where I live and one 45 miles away. Since we bought our 2005 CVT in July, we only drive our SUV (1998 Pathfinder) once/month (not 'cause we have to, just to turn over the engine and drive it for 30 min or so, we no real use for it on a regular basis). But yes, there are tons of Prius out here. I did see some chart somewhere showing the # of hybrids sold per state and CA was way, way, way ahead of any other state.

Deb


[QUOTE=....
Last May, I was in Northern California. Saw plenty of Prius' and a few HCHs, but no Insights. Now I know why....[/QUOTE]

 

Jesssh, that chart is crazy!! Obviously Washington politics stepping in to squash any incentive to buy hybrids - oil companies (and Bush) win yet again. I do find it odd that they list the Prius mileage as the same as Insight (57-60) which is totally nuts. It doesn't go unnoticed by me that there are still huge tax breaks to people who buy Hummers (and other heavy weight vehicles) - hmmm, another win for the oil companies. Washington touts saving energy on one hand, but give bigger tax breaks to Humvie drivers.... Nice to know it's politics as usual.

Deb

 

I just don't understand this tatic of giving lip service to conservation/hybrids, etc when the public is starting to take it seriously. There might be a corrlation to that and Bush's approval ratings....maybe he wants the rest of his party to retire with him in 2008....