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Pump up hybrid tax breaks

By Times editorial
Published July 13, 2006

In a move to appear more environmentally conscious, Congress passed a tax credit last summer for hybrid car buyers. The deal itself turned out to be a hybrid of sorts.

In collaboration with Detroit's lobbyists, the tax credits were written into the energy bill with a 60,000-car sales limit to each manufacturer. Foreign hybrids, while expensive, have been more successful than those produced by the Big Three American manufacturers. Looking at the numbers, it is easy to understand why. A Honda Civic Hybrid boasts an average of 37 miles per gallon and a Toyota Prius gets 44. The Ford Escape Hybrid gets 26. (Mileage, of course, can vary on all models depending on the options a buyer chooses.)

Toyota already has run out of tax credits for its hybrids. Congress should consider removing the cap to encourage more Americans to buy hybrid cars. It would push Detroit's engineering teams to create hybrids similar to Toyota's and Honda's and increase the number of hybrid models on the roads - something that would help everyone breathe easier in the long run.

[Last modified July 13, 2006, 06:23:06]