A lot of things have happened since CanadianDriver last tested the redesigned Honda Civic Hybrid in 2006: the price of gas shot up to well over a dollar a litre; Al Gore and David Suzuki brought the seriousness of global warming to the attention of the masses; the federal government started offering rebates for hybrids and other fuel efficient vehicles; and some provincial governments increased their own sales tax rebates on hybrids.
Still, only about 10,000 of the 1.6 million vehicles sold in Canada in 2006 were hybrids, according to Desrosiers Automotive Consultants. Automotive analysts, such as J.D. Power and Associates, are predicting that number will grow dramatically over the next five years as more vehicle manufacturers begin offering hybrid models and consumers warm up to those government rebates and potential dollar savings on gasoline.
But there's another, more altruistic reason hybrid sales are likely to rise: some motorists are genuinely concerned about the amount of carbon dioxide coming out of the tailpipe of their cars. These consumers want to reduce their personal contribution to global warming, however small that may be.
Thanks to Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), we can now put a definitive figure on that contribution. NRCan's Energuide 2007 Fuel Consumption Guide lists annual carbon dioxide emissions for each vehicle as well as fuel efficiency ratings.
Read Full Article
Test Drive: 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid
Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by Tideland Prius, Jun 11, 2007.
Comments
Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by Tideland Prius, Jun 11, 2007.