On April 22, Ontario Environment Minister Leona Dombrowsky announced that effective May 1, the government has made hybrids exempt from Drive Clean emission testing. The ministry's news release, while praising the contribution that hybrid vehicles are making to improve our environment, pointed out that current Drive Clean equipment is simply not compatible with hybrid vehicles.

The test units require the vehicle to idle to complete the emissions report and today's breed of gas/electric vehicles don't idle; they simply shut the gas engine off when the accelerator pedal is released.