you can't call this plan smart- it's the same sort of plan as letting SOV hybrids in to HOV lanes. This sort of incentive, while making hybrids and alternative fuel vehicles more attractive, degrades the integrity of other programs, and serves to _increase_ vehicle use, when the goal of all such programs should be to _decrease_ vehicle use (abuse) and encourage alternative transportation. Cars with good mileage don't qualify. If the mileage isn't enough of an incentive, there's no reason to degrade other proven programs to make them more attractive. The car companies don't care what kind of car they sell, they just want to move steel.

According to the peanut gallery in my house (ok, just my husband), with the new, more rigorous and realistic fuel economy tests that are being phased in with the 2007 model automobiles, no car, even the Prius, will be rated at higher than 50 mpgs. (My peanut gallery now says :Well, maybe the Honda Insight.)

I sort of agree with Nathan up there, that this really only encourages personal autmobile use. But I also understand that the reality is that we live in a car-addicted country, and that this program could easily be used in conjunction with more sustainable transportation programs (like free bus service, for example).