Up to $2k rebate for efficient cars (not just hybrids) in CDN budget - guzzlers taxed

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by psyshack

I have a pluged oil well in my back yard with a pecan tree growing on top of it. It was capped and covered after WWII.

Wow - talk about a conversation piece!

TC: I believe I have read that the Cobasys patent on NIMH only applies in the US. If that's true (I'm not certain it is), EV makers would have been free to use this battery tech in other markets outside the US. To your knowledge, has anyone?

E.G. do you know what the French automakers have been using in their commercial EV's?

[kps]

Originally Posted by psyshack

I was quite shocked.

Gas Guzzler Tax

I assume it's been 20 years since you've done business with anyone in the US.

[cfg83]

MetroMPG -

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

I hope your colleagues are as serious as they sound. If they want to hit Canada really hard, they'll need lessons from you on how to cut waaay back on their fuel consumption! (Seeing how they burn more oil & gasoline imported from Canada than any other country.)

Talk about the law of unintended consequences.

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In the news today, there are suggestions the government may be flexible on the rebate structure since it overwhelmingly favours Toyota in the entry-level segment. My prediction: they'll roll out a new $500 tier that will let in the Honda Fit and possibly the Hyundai Accent. The Versa and Aveo will still be looking in from the outside.

I see nothing wrong with a sliding scale, where the l/km leader would get the biggest rebate.

CarloSW2

[MetroMPG]

You'd get no argument from me on that idea, CarloSW2.

kps: very interesting.

[MetroMPG]

Here's why Toyota Canada loves the feebate program and most other auto makers hate it:

Toyota sold 2,511 units of Yaris with a Trunk in April. That's up 67.8 per cent versus April 2006. - source

Compare to US sales of Yaris (hatchback vs sedan - so this isn't strictly apples-to-apples):

The Yaris subcompact posted best-ever April sales totaling 7,232, an increase of 22.6 percent. - source

I'm not sure why the Toyota Canada didn't break out the Yaris hb sales figures.

One major analyst who previously argued that the feebate program would not affect Canadian buying patterns (because we already tend to buy a high proportion of compact & subcompact cars) was forced to eat his words:

"April is the first full month of the federal 'feebate' program which offers up to $2,000 of tax payer incentive money for vehicles meeting certain fuel economy standards," Dennis DesRosiers said in a note.

"Since the Canadian consumer primarily buys small fuel efficient vehicles this incentive helped propel the market to its best April on record." - source

Still no word on:

(a) whether the government will react to pressure from the "losing" auto makers; and...

(b) if & how Honda is going to change its Fit model to get it into rebate territory.

I'm watching...

[Silveredwings]

The latest in the Toronto Star

[Mike T]

Safety versus efficiency. What utter rubbish. Boo to Honda.