[News] Software firm: Buy fuel-efficient car, get $5,000

Software firm: Buy fuel-efficient car, get $5,000
Published: November 29, 2004, 11:22 AM PST
By Ed Frauenheim
Staff Writer, CNET News.com

Software company Hyperion Solutions is giving its employees good reason to go green when they buy a car.

In a move that combines corporate citizenship with good public relations, the Santa Clara, Calif.-based company will reimburse employees to the tune of $5,000 if they buy a car that gets 45 miles per gallon and meets a strict emissions standard.

Godfrey Sullivan, Hyperion's chief executive, says the effort is partly about attracting new employees, as well as establishing a good reputation. "It's important to me that Hyperion be known as a company with a strong sense of social responsibility," he said.

Sullivan himself drives a Mercedes but said he has ordered a Toyota Prius, a hybrid vehicle that is powered by a combination of a gasoline-consuming engine and electricity.

Hyperion sells so-called business performance management software and has about 2,500 employees worldwide. Some 1,500 workers are in the United States. The company is setting aside $1 million a year for the program, which will allow 50 workers per quarter to snag the subsidy.

For now in the United States, only a few vehicles qualify for the program, according to the company. The Toyota Prius is one. Two hybrids from Honda also make the grade, according to Hyperion.

The company hopes to encourage other firms to join its clean-driving campaign. It has launched a group called Companies for Clean Air Consortium, and plans to share what it learns in its initiative.

Sullivan said dozens of employees had e-mailed him Monday morning about the offer. Although the splashy program is giving Hyperion some publicity, Sullivan said it is a sincere effort to improve the environment. "The publicity will die out by tomorrow or the next day," he said. "The program will live on for years."

 

I think this is really exciting personally. Hmm...anyone thinking of applying? I'm sure that there are tons of computer job hunters in Cali.

 

Well look at that... Give them a call and see what you can find out. Maybe you will get a job there and the $5k off and have some fun.

Imagine getting a new Prius with the $2000 tax deduct, $400 Toyota Grad deduct, and the $5000 Hyperion deduction. $7500 off potentially and if you can get one for cost depending on which packages you got it'd run $20k at most. WOW!

 

Yes, but the idea is "if" you drive a Hybrid of any sort "and" work for them then you get the reimbursement. So technically you'd still qualify, to get the $5k.

AKA... check it out. Never hurts to try.

 

Hmm...so you only count if you get the car once you start employment there vs as long as you have a hybrid. If that's the case...the doing it for the environment is a joke vs for the publicity.

 

For the record this is my personal opinion and others are more than welcome to disagree and comment.

I'm not saying that a company offering something like this isn't a good thing. Honestly, more companies should.

What I'm stating is that if the company were PRIMARILY interested in promoting driving green than the offer would be that "any" employee that drives a vehicle meeting the standards "and" works for them for at least a year should qualify VS an employee who happens to work for their company at least a year then choose to buy a Hybrid.

From a marketing perspective, the policy is more to increase their company's profile vs truly encouraging people to go green.

 

There are many ways to be green that I'd assume that most of us on this forum don't know yet. As an example, I am curious how many of us Prius owners are also avid FreeCyclers. So I concede to that point.

It is my belief that over time one can expect that the vast majority of cars (at least in Toyota's line) will move towards gas/electric/etc. Eventually I'd expect not only an increase but a dominance of hybrids.

Further if/when the vast majority of autos are GREEN due primarily to this country's environmental policies tightening, I'd expect for this policy to be cancelled as it would make little sense from a financial standpoint for Hyperion to award everyone a deduction for simply being an employee.

Thus in the long run... I feel that this policy while a BIG deal currently is very minor to this company aside from extra publicity currently.