1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Massachusetts offers EV license plates, even for hybrids

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by LewLasher, Apr 25, 2012.

  1. LewLasher

    LewLasher Member

    Joined:
    Jan 20, 2004
    244
    66
    0
    Location:
    Cambridge, Massachusetts
    Vehicle:
    2019 Prius
    Model:
    XLE AWD-e
  2. Skoorbmax

    Skoorbmax Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2010
    2,641
    264
    0
    Location:
    Western NY
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I would not get this on a hybrid, as it's incorrect.
     
  3. massparanoia

    massparanoia Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2012
    697
    467
    0
    Location:
    Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Well technically electricity does help power the vehicle, but I agree there should be a separate hybrid plate
     
  4. Rebound

    Rebound Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 11, 2010
    3,961
    2,609
    0
    Location:
    Portland, OR
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Great program, great idea, I see no need to have 76 different favors of plates for EV, PHEV, Hybrid, and every other combo. Way to go, Mass!
     
  5. LewLasher

    LewLasher Member

    Joined:
    Jan 20, 2004
    244
    66
    0
    Location:
    Cambridge, Massachusetts
    Vehicle:
    2019 Prius
    Model:
    XLE AWD-e
    The ostensible purpose of the Massachusetts EV plates is to alert public safety responders to be careful about the possible risk of, I guess, electrocution.

    In that case, I'd suggest that they replace the cute green graphic (car with cord leading to 2-pronged plug) with a warning triangle enclosing a thunderbolt. And, they should replace the subtitle "Electric Vehicle" with "Severe Electric Hazard." But that would be harder to sell to consumers.

    I like the EV novelty plate because (1) it's easier for me to remember a 4-digit plate number, and (2) like the other Massachusetts novelty plates, it avoids the default subtitle on Massachusetts plates, the meaningless "The Spirit of America."
     
  6. massparanoia

    massparanoia Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2012
    697
    467
    0
    Location:
    Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Yeah I rember "the spirit of america" advertising jingle from the 80's, but I think they are trying to put forth some sort of reference to MA's colonial history, being one of the original 13 colonies, as being part of "the spirit of america".
     
  7. Keiichi

    Keiichi Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 1, 2012
    808
    79
    2
    Location:
    Goleta
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Five
    Uhm.... The risk of electrocution is not the issue with the EV vehicles. It's the highly 'explosive' reaction that the batteries can exhibit, more so than just the firey explosion from a gas tank.

    Particularly with Lithium Ion battery packs. This is not to say they are unsafe, however, if damaged significantly, the discharge has been known to cause a super hot fire that could be more potentially dangerous than just a normal gasoline fire.

    With gasoline, you can at least smell the fumes, but with EVs with particular packs, the reaction can be different, thus requiring people to be aware that the situation can change rapidly, without warning if people aren't aware of the severity of the damage.
     
  8. Skoorbmax

    Skoorbmax Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2010
    2,641
    264
    0
    Location:
    Western NY
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Then technically I could buy a Chevy Tahoe hybrid that gets 20 mpg city/highway and slap this EV plate on it :)
     
    dbcassidy likes this.
  9. massparanoia

    massparanoia Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2012
    697
    467
    0
    Location:
    Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Well in MA you could :eyebrows:
     
  10. JimN

    JimN Let the games begin!

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2006
    7,028
    1,116
    0
    Location:
    South Jersey
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    The "Danger--Electrocution" plate may scare away thieves.
     
    dbcassidy and PLSPUSH like this.
  11. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2005
    19,603
    8,034
    54
    Location:
    Montana & Nashville, TN
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Really? "Danger" doesn't seem to have any effect on thieves who look to steal the millions & millions of cars that daily haul 10 or 20 gallons of liquid toxic explosive fuel, right? Maybe explosive carbon based fuel burners should carry sinage ... perhaps a picture of a fiery explosion ? You wouldn't want that on your gas burner? Protect all the dummies who don't know better? No?
    ;)
     
  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    it would have been nice if my dealer had known this when i got new plates a week ago. maybe it just happened. i see the article dated 04-24. lew, what number did you get?
     
  13. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2010
    7,668
    6,481
    0
    Location:
    Redneck Riviera (Gulf South)
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Why not???
    They put NASCAR license plates on cars that don't participate in racing... :D
     
  14. Blajoie

    Blajoie Junior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2012
    19
    21
    0
    Location:
    San Diego, California
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    I agree - I just had new plates put on yesterday!
    May have to visit the RMV to see what sort of number I can get =)
     
  15. LewLasher

    LewLasher Member

    Joined:
    Jan 20, 2004
    244
    66
    0
    Location:
    Cambridge, Massachusetts
    Vehicle:
    2019 Prius
    Model:
    XLE AWD-e
    As far as I know, Tuesday, April 24 was the first day the new plates were available. The service agent who issued my plates was doing so for the first time, and had to read her instruction sheet (aloud). Her colleague/supervisor said that she had issued a set yesterday. The triage agent wasn't even aware that the new EV plates were available until I showed them to her.
     
  16. kindlewood

    kindlewood New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 12, 2012
    39
    4
    0
    Location:
    Cape Cod, MA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    I just got this new plate. I had to renew my registration next month anyway, so doing this actually saved me money.

    I got to pick my plate from about 8 sets that they had. The numbers available ranged from the high 8600s to the low 8700s. They didn't have every number available in this range, but I did manage to find one that had an easy number for me to remember, so I'm happy with it.

    My old plate number sucked for me. I just couldn't figure out a way to easily remember it, and found myself unable to recall it at times when I needed to.
     
  17. Blajoie

    Blajoie Junior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2012
    19
    21
    0
    Location:
    San Diego, California
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    I just went to the Worcester Branch and they did not have any EV plates yet. Said it would be another 2-3 weeks for delivery. Which branch did you go to that had them? Anyone else find a branch with plates ready to go?


    Which RMV?
     
  18. LewLasher

    LewLasher Member

    Joined:
    Jan 20, 2004
    244
    66
    0
    Location:
    Cambridge, Massachusetts
    Vehicle:
    2019 Prius
    Model:
    XLE AWD-e
    Watertown.
     
  19. mitch672

    mitch672 Technology Geek

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2004
    1,077
    197
    0
    Location:
    Randolph, MA
    Vehicle:
    Other Electric Vehicle
    Model:
    N/A
    I went to the Braintree RMV yesterday, I am "EV1304", Braintree seems to have low number plates. I said to the agent "the state only expects 10,000 hybrids and EV's?", she came back with "they will start mixing in letters as it fills up"... Light dawns on Marbehead :)

    I too just paid to transfer my old plates on Monday, plus they where plates that expired in September, the new EV plates expire in April.., so I lose 5 months of time as well. She gave me a rebate/credit form, I am going to see. If the state will refund anything, as Monday was a $25 registration fee, $75 title fee, a large amount of sales tax... Then yesterday $20 more for EV plates. No wonder the RMV is one of the only state agencies that is profitable.
     
  20. kindlewood

    kindlewood New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 12, 2012
    39
    4
    0
    Location:
    Cape Cod, MA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    I picked mine up at the Yormouth RMV branch on Cape Cod. I was hoping for a lower number then I got, but, as I mentioned, the number I got is easy for me to remember, so I can't really complain.