Jay Inslee Wants Plug-In Hybrid Tax Credits in the U.S.
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 02.12.08
Congressman Jay Inslee (Washington's first congressional district) is keeping busy. After co-authoring Apollo's Fire, a book about U.S. climate and energy policy, and getting an amendment in the energy bill to create a plug-in demonstration project, he's now fighting to get tax credits of up to $3000-4000 for plug-in hybrids.
Inslee is also a member of the Apollo Alliance. To find out more about it, you can read our interview with its founder, Jerome Ringo.
Congressman Inslee wrote:
This December, I won a provision in the House passed energy package that would give consumers a $4,000 tax credit for purchasing one of these next-generation green cars. The Senate came within one vote of overcoming a filibuster of this legislation, but could only muster 59 of the 60 votes needed.Later in December, Congress approved and the president signed a narrower energy package that did not include tax provisions. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said that passing the energy tax provisions, including the plug-in tax credit, is one of her top priorities for 2008. And based on how close we came in December, I'm confident the energy tax provisions can be passed in both chambers this year.
I'm also pushing another legislative vehicle for enacting the plug-in tax credit: H.R. 589, my Get Real Incentives to Drive Plug-in Act. This bill includes this tax break for American who buy plug-ins, along with additional research funding, tax incentives for U.S. auto manufacturers that make these vehicles, grant programs for conversion facilities, and a testing facility for plug-in manufacturers.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has also been investing in plug-in research; $17.2 million to develop suitable batteries. ::GM-Volt, ::Apollo's Fire: A Book Review, ::How's The Google Plug-In Hybrid Fleet Doing?
A very good idea.
Currently costs about 10k$ to upgrade the Prius from EV-2 to EV-8. (Up to EV-35 possible)
Those 100Mpg articles you read, were from adding a second EV-2 battery to a Prius, thus making an EV-4. An EV-8 with LiOn will get much better than 100Mpg.
The company that does EV-8 replaces the EV-2 with a LiOn pack of roughly the same size as the EV-2. The EV-2 is then recycled with Toyota.
(You can't mix NiMh and LiOn w/o using two different inverters, not cost efficient)
Now a Prius with EV-8 can do a lot more than 8 miles on pure electric, because of regenarative braking and gliding.
In stop & go traffic, then maybe 8 or 9 miles.
Disadvantage so far is that the Plug-In is a third-party supplier that voids your powertrain warranty. However the third-party suppliers will be providing their own warranties to offset.
Contact your congressperson to get 2- and 3-wheeled vehicles included! Check out the campaign at www.vectrix.com
I'm enrolled in an MBA program that specializes in Sustainable Business that is headquartered on Bainbridge Island, in Washington state. The school just happens to be in Congressman's Islee's district so he paid us a visit to talk about his book "Apollo's Fire"
I had the privilege of having dinner with him and I must say he is the sharpest politician I have ever met. He knows more about sustainable energy solutions that most of my friends.
When asked how could individuals help make a difference in renewable energy - he said we should elect people who understand the issues and vote out the one's who don't. He had some harsh words for Senator McCain - his refusal to vote was the one vote the Senate needed to pass that energy bill.
I'm looking forward to reading his book.
Find out more about the MBA in Sustainable Business Program at: http://www.bgiedu.org
How about a tax credit for us folks that choose to not own a car? I already save a ton of money/space/pollution by not owning one. Would be a good incentive.
Excellent idea, and just one tax credits of many that we need to promote clean renewable energy. I'm waiting for a tax credit for solar PV that will help offset the high cost.
McCain really blew it when he (purposely?) missed voting on the bill. I'm really questioning his so-called commitment to clean energy and global warming. And his spin on it is very disturbing. (See http://sierraclub.typepad.com/carlpope/2008/02/the-not-so-stra.html).
This certainly doesn’t bode well for McCain’s campaign promises and it sounds alarmingly familiar. If you recall, one of Bush’s campaign promises was a “commitment to a new era of environmental protection” and to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. But in record time he broke his promise by refusing to sign the Kyoto treaty limiting global warming gases. This was the most significant environmental commitment made under his campaign, and Bush walked away from it in exactly 53 days.
I think I’m starting to see a pattern.
GM's projecting the Volt will cost around $30,000. It's almost like they were banking on this tax credit to support their business model.
But we all know that GM doesn't have any influence in Washington, right?
From a business perspective, this could be a great boast to ailing US auto manufacturers. Most people who are on the fence will choose the cheaper priced auto. If they give an real incentive to buy the hybrid then hopefully more people will.
ICELANDER - 30K$ is for a barebones Volt without batteries or a backup generator.
GM wants to lease the batteries, because they know paying 60K$ for the car will be a no-sell.
Very nice car. I hope that car will be my ;)
The intial federal tax incentive is phased out on most models, there are starting to be other tax incentives pop up. Just rememeber, if you pay the AMT you are not eligible for the majority of these tax cuts.