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Green License Plates in Ontario

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Main Forum' started by postwhistle, Nov 6, 2018.

  1. postwhistle

    postwhistle Junior Member

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    I've been seeing a lot of Gen 4s with green license plates here in Toronto. Saw 2 just today. According to the MTO website (Green Plates Eligible Vehicle List), regular Gen 4s are not eligible for green plates because they are just hybrids, not plug ins; Primes are, but the ones I saw were definitely not Primes. Am I missing something?
     
  2. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    We've had green number plates for 40 years - but we can personalise to whatever colour we want. This was 1980.
    upload_2018-11-7_13-6-27.png
    upload_2018-11-7_13-8-0.png upload_2018-11-7_13-15-5.png

    At the moment - I'm a rebel - and have Black and White plates.
     
  3. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    No idea. That or whoever is issuing them isn't paying attention (saw an HOV decal on a Gen 4 once.... should only be issued for the Prime)

    Green plates in Ontario are the equivalent of those "HOV decals" threads you've seen for California.
     
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  4. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    I sort-of thought so - but that's a foreign language to people in most of the world. A better description would have been helpful.
     
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  5. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Huh, I thought Australia used the term "HOV" or High Occupancy Vehicle for those special lanes.
     
  6. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Wait that's not what you're talking about, you're talking about the licence plates. Never mind me. It's late over here.
     
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  7. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    Not that I've heard of - not in Queensland. And Hybrids or EVs are so rare that they get no benefits here.
     
  8. postwhistle

    postwhistle Junior Member

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    Should've probably expained the green plates thing in my OP, sorry. They are special plates issued to electric, plug in hybrid, and fuel cell vehicles in Ontario that allow them to use HOV lanes. Green licence plates

    green-licence-plate.jpg

    Yes I have a feeling that someone might be issuing them by mistake. A lot of them. Not really fair...
     
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  9. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    You could not get one for your white Toyota anyway. Wrong colour. ;)

    Toyota says Aussies are not interested in EVs.
     
    #9 Prodigyplace, Nov 7, 2018
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 7, 2018
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  10. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    But somehow, across the water, Kiwis are?
     
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  11. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    Interestingly enough, I've just listened to a PODCAST by our biggest Car Online Magazine (800,000 followers) - and they were saying that it's exciting that in 2019, we'll have Premium SUV EVs available from Jag, Merc and Audi, plus more affordable ones from KIA, Nissan and Hyundai, plus IONIQ hatch.

    Yes, they used the word "exciting". Which is a bit of a change of tune for the media.
     
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  12. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    Oh - and neither TOYOTA nor LEXUS was included in the conversation.
     
  13. Sarge

    Sarge Senior Member

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    Yes, I have seen at least 5-6 of the Gen 4 Prius with the green “eco car” plate, which gets them HOV access (according to the green plate rules). This is a major reason I opted for the a used PiP rather than a Gen 4, when I needed to replace my car in 2016 and the Prime was not yet available.

    When I saw the first one, I assumed the owner had done something shady like swapped plates illegally, but I have since seen 4 or 5 more, which leads me to believe it is an error on the MTO (Ministry of Transportation) when they were issued. If so, odd their system would allow this? It would be interesting to see the outcome if they are ever stopped by the OPP in the HOV solo....?

    On the flip side, I have also seen eligible plugin vehicles with the standard issue blue plate... SMH. I can’t understand why someone would opt out of the green plate? The only possible reason would be if you are THAT attached to your vanity plate (which are not available with green plates), but still. But I digress.
     
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  14. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    Translation:

    It would be interesting to see the outcome if they are ever stopped by the Provincial (State) Police in the High Occupancy Vehicle Lane alone....?

    Not everyone knows the Canadian / Ontario acronyms. :D
     
  15. Sarge

    Sarge Senior Member

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    Yeah, that’s what I meant, thanks for the translation (Ontario Provincial Police)... I was going to define that, but I was in a hurry and had to get the kids to school, and assumed people would figure it out, probably mostly Ontario people reading this thread anyway....
     
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  16. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    I was born/raised in the Toronto area but have been in Virginia for many years now. Happy to help.
    I figured some people might not know what a province is so I added state.

    @alanclarkeau is about as far as you can get from Ontario - Brisbane, Australia, to be precise. :D
     
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  17. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    Yep - it's a long way away - though our friends in NEW ZEALAND, PAKISTAN, SINGAPORE, ISRAEL or INDIA could be similar? No PRIUS in Antarctica that I've heard of.
     
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  18. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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  19. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    We used to get a lot of GB plates on cars here about when I was a child - rarely see them now, occasionally other countries. Rare now, but occasionally see a NZ here.

    upload_2018-11-9_16-36-28.png
     
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  20. postwhistle

    postwhistle Junior Member

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    I figured I'd send an email to the MTO (Ministry of Transportation of Ontario), who issues the plates, asking how come I am seeing Gen 4s with green plates. This is the answer I got:

    "Thank you for taking the time to contact the Ministry of Transportation's Customer & Traveller Information Management Office.

    Although we issue the green plates we are not responsible for the enforcement of misuse. This would fall under the local police department.

    We thank you for your inquiry and encourage you to contact us in the future, as we continually strive to improve our service to our customers."

    In other words, "we don't really care".

    (n)
     
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