2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid: $24.4k Minus Tax Credit
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 01.30.07
The price of the new 2007 Nissan Altima hybrid has finally been announced, and the car starts at $24,400. It should be available in the 8 states that have followed California with stricter emission regulations: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont. We hope that Nissan will release it everywhere else too (that's a possibility if they reach their goals). The Altima hybrid's "EPA fuel economy is estimated at 42 mpg City [5.6 liters per 100 kilometers] and 36 mpg Highway [6.5 liters per 100 kilometers]. It is rated as an Advanced Technology-Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV) and emits almost no evaporative emissions." That's slightly better in the city than the Toyota Camry hybrid which gets an EPA rating of 40 mpg [5.9 liters per 100 kilometers], but slightly worse on the highway than the Camry hybrid's 38 mpg [6.2 liters per 100 kilometers]). "The Altima Hybrid has been certified by the Internal Revenue Service as meeting the requirements for the Alternative Motor Vehicle Credit, thereby qualifying for a tax credit of $2,350." ::Nissan Prices the Altima Hybrid. See also: ::Nissan Will Build Altima Hybrid in Tennessee, ::Nissan to Develop Own Hybrid Technology
Standard car article advice: Walk, cycle, carpool, take public transit, car-share, telecommute. Try to live close to the things you need and to where you work. But if you have to own a car, get the most efficient model that fills your needs, drive sanely, combine trips, keep it in good mechanical condition and keep your tires properly inflated.
We need to stop buying gasoline-powered cars for a year to send the auto industry a clear message. They need to mass-produce and sell alternative fuel cars. Electric, hybrid electric and fuel cell cars exist but they only make excuses why they’re not building and selling them. Instead of excuses they need solutions. If they stopped wasting time and money on gasoline and gasoline hybrid cars they could use those resources to resolve those “excuses”. It’s time get rid of the oil technology monopoly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgxaKWqUbXQ
This car is only notable to show that hybrid is catching on in a big way. However, this car's performance is certainly less than stellar. It would be nice if every car got 42 mpg, but it's also aiming quite low. Halfing our carbon emissions means the north polar ice cap is still going to melt!