With gasoline prices headed towards 3 $$$ and consumers sitting on their hands, this is not a bad first attempt to get the internal combustion engine off the road. Discussing this credit takes us away from residential issues but unless you live in one every household in America is effected by this. The more money you save the more you can put back into your house. You might want to wait until the Gas Guzzler or “Clunkers”  law goes into effect because you could get a whole lot more money with 2 credits…depending on how they word it…but that is a subject for tomorrow. First the Tax Credits.

Not there silly here:

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_tax_credits#s3

Cars	Hybrid gasoline-electric, diesel, battery-electric, alternative fuel, and fuel cell vehicles		Based on a formula determined by vehicle weight, technology, and fuel economy compared to base year models	There is a 60,000 vehicle limit per manufacturer before a phase-out period begins. Toyota and Honda have already been phased out. Credit is still available for Ford, GM and Nissan.For more information visit: Fueleconomy.gov Use IRS Form 8910 for hybrid vehicles purchased for personal use.Use IRS Form 3800 for hybrid vehicles purchased for business purposes.
	Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles		$2,500–$7,500	The first 250,000 vehicles sold get the full tax credit (then it phases out like the hybrid vehicle tax credits).Effective January 1, 2009.

¹Subject to a $1,500 maximum per homeowner for all improvements combined.

Efficient Cars

Starting January 1, 2009, there is a new tax credit for Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, starting at $2,500 and capped at $7,500 for cars and trucks (the credit is based on the capacity of the battery system). The first 250,000 vehicles sold get the full tax credit (then it phases out like the hybrid vehicle tax credits).

Tax credits are available to buyers of hybrid gasoline-electric, diesel, battery-electric, alternative fuel, and fuel cell vehicles. The tax credit amount is based on a formula determined by vehicle weight, technology, and fuel economy compared to base year models. These credits are available for vehicles placed in service starting January 1, 2006. For hybrid and diesel vehicles made by each manufacturer, the credit will be phased out over 15 months starting after that manufacturer has sold 60,000 eligible vehicles. For vehicles made by manufacturers that have not reached the end of the phase-out, the credits will end for vehicles placed in service after December 31, 2010. See the IRS Website for updated information .

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So if you are wandering around wondering what are the most efficient cars I could buy. Well:

http://www.greenercars.org/highlights.htm

Greener Choices 2009

A Selection of Gasoline Vehicles that Score Well

TOYOTA PRIUS
HONDA CIVIC HYBRID

TOYOTA YARIS

HONDA FIT

FORD ESCAPE HYBRID

HYUNDAI SONATA

SUBARU OUTBACK WAGON

NISSAN ROGUE

TOYOTA TACOMA

FORD RANGER

TOYOTA SIENNA

CHEVROLET TAHOE HYBRID C1500

I can go into more detail. for that you will have to go to the website…I was not able to copy the total graph.

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For really clean cars:

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthread.php/magazine-green-car-journal-5211.html

Magazine: Green Car Journal

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Hello -My friend gives me copies of this magazine because he knows I am an MPG nut :Electric Cars & Hybrid Cars | Green Car .comIt doesn’t spend too much time saying what’s wrong with the automotive industry. It’s focus is to spotlight the good things that are happening. Here are some example articles from the features section :

Preview: 2010 Ford Fiesta for U.S. | Green Car .com

Quote:

Ford Motor Company, responding to customer demand for smaller and more fuel-efficient vehicles, is accelerating its efforts to bring six small vehicles from Ford’s respected European lineup to the North American market sooner than originally planned. To accomplish this, several of Ford’s large assembly plants will be converted from truck and SUV production to build the new-to-America models.

The automaker is banking heavily on its EcoBoost gasoline turbocharged, direct-injection engine technology and engine downsizing to reduce fuel economy by 20 percent and lower CO2 emissions by 15 percent. Plans are to have the capacity to build more than a million North American four-cylinder engines by 2011. 

Kewet’s New Electric City Car | Green Car .com

Quote:

 When it comes to promoting the use of battery electric vehicles, Norway is probably the world’s leader. Helping are policies like exemption from road taxes, tolls, and parking fees as well as permitting EVs to drive in bus lanes. The result is that the Th!nk, once planned as a Ford product, is back in production. Now it has a competitor in the form of the Norwegian-built Buddy.

Like the Th!nk that was born in 1991 as the Pivco City Bee, the Buddy has a history that also dates back to that same year, when Knud Erik Westergaard founded Kewet in Denmark to produce the Kewet electric car. In 1995, production was transferred to Nordhausen in the former East Germany. By 1998, Kewet was bankrupt with over a thousand Kewet electric cars and vans built. Rights to the Kewet were acquired in 1999 by Kollega Bil A/S in Norway. With a name change to Elbil Norge AS, it is now offering the improved sixth generation of the model, now simply called the Buddy. It’s aimed initially at the Norwegian market but plans are to distribute the car throughout Europe. …

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These guys want mileage and they want it now.

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