Today's Top Topics




Hydrogen and Hybrid Vehicles Blog RSS

New Mitsubishi Plug-In Hybrid Beats New York Transit on Green House Gas Emissions

Posted on June 22, 2009, 9:02pm | Samuel Staley

Wendell Cox, writing at newgeography.com, notes that the new MIEV plug-in electric electric car expected to be be on the market from Mitsubishi Motors in two years beats mass transit on greenhouse gas emissioins.

"The average GHG reduction compared to the current US automobile and sport utility vehicle fleet average would be 83 percent. The car would emit approximately less than one-half the GHGs per passenger mile as transit in New York area (the best in the nation) and one-fourth the overall US transit average."

The downside? It can only travel 100 miles between charges. Still, the new car is an illustration of how quickly technology can move to address green house gas concerns.

Print This

More Thoughts on "Stimulus" Tax Cuts and the States

Posted on April 9, 2009, 2:47pm | Adrian Moore

In an earlier post I pointed out a new paper on the high cost and distortion of tax credits for hybrid vehicles to cut ghgs.  Now a Portland Tribune article points out the problems with that state's green tax credit program.

 

But the credit comes with a hefty price tag for Oregon taxpayers. State projections expect the program to double in cost in the next biennium, providing $143.8 million in tax breaks during the next two years.

What’s more, an investigation of the program’s inner workings by the Pamplin Media Group shows that when state agencies use the tax credit to fund sustainability projects, those projects often wind up costing the state more than what it would have cost to just pay for them outright.

Print This

The Pros and Cons of Tax Incentives for Hybrid Vehicles

Posted on April 8, 2009, 1:59pm | Adrian Moore

Tax incentives for green cars are hot. Check out this guide.  But then check out this research paper from the University of British Columbia:  

We estimate the effect of tax rebates on sales of Hybrid Electric Vehicles, offered by Canadian provinces. We find that these rebates had a large and significant effect on raising the market share of hybrid vehicles and that Intermediate cars, Intermediate SUVs and some high performance compact cars were crowded out as a result. Nevertheless, we find that these programs have a very high cost relative to other methods of reducing carbon emissions. The rebate programs largely subsidized consumers who would have bought hybrid vehicles or other fuel-efficient vehicles in any case. If carbon reduction is the goal, provincial governments may be better off purchasing carbon credits rather than providing tax incentives for hybrid cars.

Another reminder that quick, feel-good policies to address climate change have real consequences that have to be thought through.

Print This

Hydrogen and Hybrid Vehicles Blog Archives:

« Previous (5.5.13–5.11.13) | This Week (5.12.13–5.18.13)

Recent Posts (RSS)

Authors

Topics

Hydrogen and Hybrid Vehicles Blog Archives RSS