Honda squeaks through Ottawa's green gates

[mabelair]

Honda squeaks through Ottawa's green gates

GREG KEENAN
Tuesday, October 16, 2007

The smallest Honda Canada Inc. car now fits in the federal government feebate scheme for the 2008 model year, a development that re-energizes the debate over Ottawa's green auto program.

The manual transmission version of Honda's subcompact Fit has been modified to use one-10th of a litre less of gasoline per 100 kilometres than the 2007 model. That makes it the second gasoline-powered subcompact eligible for a $1,000 rebate under the federal program.

Full story here: http://www.globeinvestor.com/servlet/story...te1016/GIStory/

MAB

[Tideland Prius]

It's amazing what manufacturers will do after you force an issue on them.

Something as simple as removing extra stuff (like the roof rack) and adjust the transmission final gear ratio.

but then again, you know someone's just gonna add the roof rack back just for the looks.

Honda's issue is unique. The Fit has side/side curtains as standard. The Yaris doesn't. Is safety worth $1,000??

[boulder_bum]

For the Canadian units of the Detroit Three and the Canadian Auto Workers union, which also blasted the program, there could be renewed fury because another car assembled offshore qualifies for taxpayer assistance.

...

The feebate system rewards buyers of hybrids and other fuel-efficient or alternative-fuel vehicles and puts a penalty on gas guzzlers.

Vehicle companies told Ottawa that the program was messing up the market and favoured Toyota Canada Inc. because the highest-selling vehicle eligible for a rebate is the subcompact Toyota Yaris, which travels 100 kilometres on 6.4 litres of gas.
[/b]

I think that there are two sides to globalization and offshoring. One side is the exploitative practices of mostly western businesses who will run sweatshops offshore rather than hire domestic workers just to increase profits. This side of globalization is destructive.

The other side of globalization is trade between nations who compete on innovation or added value aside from the "value" of penny-wage labor. This side of globalization is healthy!

If the Japanese make more efficient vehicles and they do so with better ethics than domestic businesses, then I don't really care that they're reaping profit and/or taxpayer support.

The fact of the matter is that fuel efficient cars are better for our countries by reducing demand for oil and they're better for the world by reducing pollution. The government SHOULD support fuel efficiency monetarily, and if domestic manufacturers don't meet the qualifications, the proper consequence is not an end to the subsidy, but an incentive for domestic manufacturers to produce more fuel efficient cars.