LAT: California Limits Hybrids in Fast Lanes

[DeepModem Mom]

State Limits Hybrids in Fast Lanes
By Amanda Covarrubias and Wendy Lee, Times Staff Writers


Owners of hybrid cars in California began applying for $8 decals Thursday that will allow them to drive solo in carpool lanes. But some drivers are going to be disappointed: The state says only three hybrids — the Honda Civic, Honda Insight and Toyota Prius — will be allowed.

That leaves four others on the market, the Honda Accord, Toyota Highlander, Lexus RX 400h and Ford Escape, off the list.

Ford, in the midst of a publicity campaign touting its hybrids as a symbol of its environmental commitment, is not happy.

"The U.S. Congress determined the formula for hybrid vehicles in (carpool) lanes with single occupants, and in that law, the Ford Escape hybrid is equal to the Toyota Prius," said Mike Moran, a spokesman for Ford Motor Co. in Washington, D.C....

***

The national highway bill that President Bush signed into law on Wednesday allows states to let hybrids into carpool lanes. But California passed a law last year that sets stricter standards than the national standards for mileage and emissions....


http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/la-me-hybrid12aug12,1,6632176,full.story?ctrack=1&cset=true

[AlCzervik]

1. Hybrids use gas on the highway, my car also uses gas and gets 35 highway

milage and many other cars get even better milage than that, they should let us all use the hov lane, the standard should be based on mpg.

[leesa]

4. No it should be based on emissions

[AlCzervik]

5. my car is a very low emmission 4 cyl, i'm sure it would qualify.

[kostya]

6. Is it SULEV? I doubt it.

[AlCzervik]

7. it's a PZEV vehicle.

[reBel_gyrl]

2. Has anyone else noticed that

we have a lane for the rich, (Toll Roads) a lane for the poor, (carpool) and all the rest of it for the rest of us is screwed up? Why is our infrastructure so messed!? I think maybe if they would just try to revamp to fit the amount of traffic and the number of cars on the road we could improve it, but I really don't know where to start that massive undertaking. (I'm in Cali, by the way, those are the roads and freeways I mean)

[natrat]

3. dont worry

soon it will cost too much to drive and highways will be wide open

[jaysunb]

8. And now , if they'd also ban SUV's

from the roads altogether....:evilgrin: