2001-2003 Prius has been disqualified for the NYS Clean Vehicle Pass Program

It looks like they are going by EPA 45 MPG requirement using the new aggressive 2008 test cycles. Gen1 Prius gets about 41 combined MPG. 2006-2010 Honda Civic is rated 42 combined MPG yet it qualifies. I don't get it.

If they are going by highway MPG, Civic hybrid is rated at 45 MPG. However, it clearly said the average.

 

I live in Alabama and we don't even have annual vehicle inspections. Furthermore, I'm not an attorney. However, I suspect an NYC attorney would observe in a letter supporting a waiver:

• NY law was passed before Sept. 2008
• NHW11 EPA rating at that time was: 51 City, 45 Hwy, 48 Combined
• Point out the user reported average mileage for all three years which is running 45 MPG

In their defense, catalytic converters age as does the HC converter, something unique to the NHW11. It would help to add a full emissions test of the vehicle and compare the results to the CARB data for that model. Living in Alabama, I don't have direct or indirect technical details about how this is done or the cost. I'm just speculating how I would approach the problem.

GOOD LUCK!
Bob Wilson

 

EPA did not include the G1 Prius in its list of eligible vehicles. Perhaps the reason can be found in their documents:

http://www.epa.gov/oms/ld-hwy.htm

 

Table 1.--List of Eligible Low Emission and Energy-Efficient Vehicles Using the Hybrid-to-Gasoline Vehicle Comparison Methodology
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Code:

                                                                                                                        City FE                Cmb FE
                                                                                    Fuel economy     Tier 2     Unadj     Inc over  Unadj Cmb   Inc over
    MY             Mfr            Vehicle model       Engine family      Tran       guide class        std     city FE    baseline   FE (mpg)   baseline
                                                                                                                (mpg)       (%)                   (%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                          CARS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2003.....  Honda.............  Civic Hybrid......  3HNXV01.36CV......  AV......  Compact..........  B5......       52.6         52       56.0         75
2003.....  Honda.............  Civic Hybrid......  3HNXV01.36CV......  M5......  Compact..........  B5......       50.0         59       55.7         74
2003.....  Honda.............  Insight...........  3HNXV01.0PCE......  AV......  Two-seater.......  B5......       62.8        249       66.4         66
2004.....  Honda.............  Civic Hybrid......  4HNXV01.37CP......  AV......  Compact..........  B5......       52.6         50       56.0         75
2004.....  Honda.............  Civic Hybrid......  4HNXV01.37CP......  M5......  Compact..........  B5......       50.0         42       55.7         74
2004.....  Honda.............  Insight...........  4HNXV01.0NCE......  AV......  Two-seater.......  B5......       62.8        214       66.4         66
2004.....  Toyota............  Prius.............  4TYXV01.5MC1......  AV......  Midsize..........  B3......       66.6        200       65.8        106
2005.....  Honda.............  Civic Hybrid......  5HNXV01.3YCV......  AV......  Compact..........  B2......       52.6         50       56.0         41
2005.....  Honda.............  Civic Hybrid......  5HNXV01.3YCV......  M5......  Compact..........  B2......       50.0         42       55.7         40
2005.....  Honda.............  Insight...........  5HNXV01.0XCE......  AV......  Two-seater.......  B5......       62.8        224       66.4        185
2005.....  Honda.............  Accord Hybrid.....  5HNXV03.01B4......  L5......  Midsize..........  B5......       32.2         37      37.48         32
2005.....  Toyota............  Prius.............  5TYXV01.5MC1......  AV......  Midsize..........  B3......       66.6        201       65.8        140

SAFETEA-LU High Occupancy Vehicle Facilities Exemption Rule

Document ID:
EPA-HQ-OAR-2005-0173-0001
Document Type: PROPOSED RULES
Docket ID:
EPA-HQ-OAR-2005-0173

 

I see where but not why:

Bob Wilson

 

I did not find the reason either from cursory reading. I wonder if it has to do with the G1 Prius definition as a compact, while the G2 is mid-sized.

I suspect the compact category was aberrant, with either one extreme leader in a small group, or no leader above average. Certainly the EPA method of only promoting the top of each class has funny side-effects, like not encouraging people to downsize.

 

Living in Huntsville AL, 'I don't have a dog in that fight.' Also, we're looking at cars that are passing 10 years of service and likely to see higher salvage rates over the next decade. I'm sympathetic but not really into this one.

It might be interesting to file a FOIA on why the NHW11 Prius was dropped. Add the background information and see what the EPA team reports. My last FOIA took about two and a half months to get an answer but it is answered eventually. I think the cost was about $25.

Bob Wilson

 

Isn't it strange to remove a qualified vehicle without giving a reason?

 

The reason was given in the document cited by the OP:

"In addition to the vehicles that have been added, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has determined that the following vehicles no longer qualify based on the recent US Environmental Protection Agency's modification to estimating fuel economy:

• 2001 - 2003 Toyota Prius
• 2003 - 2005 Honda Civic Hybrid

Vehicles that have already been issued Clean Pass stickers will continue to be eligible for the program, however, no new stickers will be issued to these models."

I agree that the 2006+ HCH should be added to the disqualified list, for the reasons stated in post #2 above.

 

You summed it up Pactrick. I guess I was just whinning.

 

If you are suggesting that the sticker EPA mpg numbers disqualified these vehicles, I disagree. The EPA documents I referenced make it clear that *unadjusted* mileage numbers are used.

 

Yikes! Glad I live in California. We're good through July anyway.