LOL !!!

R2-E2, 2G Prius.
Highway/City/Husband/Wife MPG: 56.5, as of 12/2005, 26K miles

Jac Nasser, Ford President: "We are planning to launch a hybrid version of
this car [P2000] within this year [1998]. We will also make FCEV available in
2004."

I'm not sure I read the final bill, but 'lean burn' was part of the diesel subsidy. In true porkbarrell style, the diesels only require Tier 2 Bin 8 emissions, and are given a LARGER subsidy than their cleaner gas cousins of equivalent MPG. I'm wondering about Inertia Weight Class also.

WRT to the credit for fuel saved -- compared to what ? If it is the same weight car class, that is simply a subsidy to keep people in oversized cars -- exactly the opposite of what the nation needs.

So ... it is an ~ 80 Billion tax giveaway, of which extreme optimism might allow for 0.5 Billion toward vehicle FE. The remainder is to shore up those poor energy companies. How freaking clueless and corrupt can they be ??!??

R2-E2, 2G Prius.
Highway/City/Husband/Wife MPG: 56.5, as of 12/2005, 26K miles

Jac Nasser, Ford President: "We are planning to launch a hybrid version of
this car [P2000] within this year [1998]. We will also make FCEV available in
2004."

What tax year does this take effect, and do any of you who have slogged through the bill have any idea how the numbers work out for the Ford Escape Hybrid?

By my calculations, the FEH should get a $650 or $1,300 tax credit depending on whether you spring for the AWD or FWD, respectively.

Both FEH's (3792# and 3672# for AWD and FWD, respectively) are in the 3,500-3,999 pound weight classification, which is 22.6 mpg (number to compare to).

The AWD is 46% more Fuel Efficient (city driving MPG of 33) for a credit of $400. It will also save 1,673 gallons of gas over its 120,000 mile "lifetime," for an additional credit of $250.

The FWD is 59% more FE (city driving MPG of 36) for a credit of $800. It will also save 1,976 over its 120K lifetime, for an additional credit of $500.

Even better.... From money.cnn.com, Toyota says Prius would be in the range of $2,500 to $3,000. Effective January 1, 2006...

Geez... I like Bilbo's calculations for the FWD FEH.... so should I wait until next year to get one??? Sheesh...

Fred
<<<<<
Tax breaks on the road Under the bill, American car buyers are also eligible for a number of tax breaks.

By purchasing a hybrid or diesel car after Jan. 1, 2006, consumers can get a tax credit anywhere from $500 to $3,400 dollars, depending on the fuel efficiency of the car.

The tax credit for a Toyota Prius, for example, would range anywhere from $2,500 to $3,000, according to Toyota.

While the bill rewards owners of hydrogen and electric cars as much as $8,000 in tax credits, the number of vehicles owned by American consumers that are powered by alternative fuels are negligible.

Some energy conservation advocates note that while the legislation advances some important changes, the new bill does little to curb one of the nation's biggest energy problems - U.S. reliance on oil.

"The bill passed by the House and Senate will increase the use of energy efficiency technologies to extend our nation's energy supplies," Kateri Callahan, the president of the Alliance to Save Energy President, said in a statement. "But, the bill falls far short of making energy efficiency a cornerstone of U.S. energy policy. Most alarming is the bill's failure to curtail our growing and dangerous oil addiction in the transportation sector, which accounts for two-thirds of total U.S. oil use."

The bill's final version did not include other energy saving recommendations such as the Senate's recommendation that the federal government find ways of trimming oil demand and improving fuel efficiency on gas-guzzling cars.>>>>

Inertia Weight Class determination:
AZCivic has it almost right! According to EPA documents it should be four 75 pound bags of sand. The weight is the curb weight plus a nominal 300 lb -- i.e. it is the loaded weight! (Curb weight including full gas tank plus 300 lb worth of passengers/load, I think.)
Then the 3000 lb inertia weight class is 3000 - 125 = 2875 lb to 3000+250=3250 lb
[At 3000lb the law switches to 500 lb intervals, so the next class is 3500lb; I'm not absolutely sure that I'm right on the break point between the 3000 and 3500 classes]
The Prius II is then 2890 lb + 300 lb (load)= 3190 lb. So it is in the 3000 lb class.
The Civic also ends up in the 3000 lb class I think.
The comparison mpg is then 26.4 mpg for both.
The Prius then has 60 (city mpg)/26.4 = 2.27 or 227 % better than the reference 26.4 mpg.
The conservation credit is then for 2545 gallons, or $750.
The hybrid credit is then $2000. The total credit for the Prius is $2750!!!!
For the CVT Civic Hybrid, with 48 mpg city:
48/26.4 = 1.82 or 182%.
The conservation credit is for 2045 gallons, or $500.
The hybrid credit is $1200. The total credit for the HCH CVT is $1700.
For the Ford Escape front wheel drive with 36 mpg city. The weight is 3627 (for AT).
Loaded weight is 3927lb which is the 4000 lb class (between 3750 and 4250lb).
Reference mileage (4000lb light truck) is 19.4 mpg.
36/19.4 = 1.85 = 185%.
Conservation credit for 2852 gallons is $750. The hybrid credit is $1200.
Ford escape hybrid (FWD) gets $1950 credit.
I'd like someone else to check my numbers before I rush out and buy a Prius [i]
--Walter
PS. for those following the calculations, fuel saved is based on 120,000 miles.

PS. I still don't know when this takes effect. Is it for cars bought in 2005, or only starts for cars bought in 2006?
--Walter

Walter, check out my quote from money.cnn.com.....

"By purchasing a hybrid or diesel car after Jan. 1, 2006...."

So don't *rush* out to buy that Prius! They didn't mention a model year, just purchase date.

Fred

Fred, Thanks for the link and the date this takes effect (Jan. 1, 2006). I wonder if the date of the credit would make it easier to negotiate a deal for a hybrid in Oct/Nov/Dec. I don't think they're going to sell too many hybrids in Dec with the credit taking effect in Jan. Of course, this means it goes on your 2006 tax return filed April 15, 2007, so you don't get the refund till 2007.

After much researching, I've found the vehicle intertia weight class of the current hybrids and what it means. Simply put, it's the curb weight plus 300 pounds.

With the interia weights and city mpg from the EPA Fuel Economy Trends 1975-2005 report, I've come up with the tax credit amounts for these vehicles:

EDIT: Check the next post for what are probably more accurate (and higher) tax credit numbers.

Hybrid Cars:
Accord - 3500 interia weight (AT) (29 city mpg) - $400 tax credit
Civic - 3000 (CVT) (47.8 mpg) - $1,200
Civic - 3000 (MT) (45.9 mpg) - $800 (needs 46.2 for 1,200 - 06 should meet that)
Insight - 2000 (MT) (60.9 mpg) - $800
Insight - 2250 (CVT) (56.5 mpg) - $800
Prius - 3000 (CVT) (59.9 mpg) - $2000

Hybrid Trucks:
Escape 2wd - 4000 interia weight (CVT) (35.6 city mpg) - $1,200 tax credit
Escape 4wd - 4000 (CVT) (32.9 mpg) - $800 (needs 33.95 for $1,200)
GM C15 Pickup 2wd - 5000 (AT) (17.8 mpg) - No rebate, needs 20.1 mpg
GM K15 Pickup 4wd - 5500 (AT) (17.0 mpg) - No rebate, needs 18.5 mpg

Other Hybrids not listed in EPA document:
Highlander 2wd - 4000 (CVT) (33 city mpg) - $800 tax credit
Highlander 4wd - 4500 (CVT) (31 mpg) - $1,200 (if it really is higher than 30.8 mpg)
RX 400h - 4500 (CVT) (31 mpg) - $1,200 (if it really is higher than 30.8 mpg)
Mariner - 4000 (CVT) (33 mpg) - $800 tax credit

The tax credit amounts do not include the 'conservation credits', since they seem to have been removed at the last minute. Here is (supposedly) the final version of the bill that passed in the House and was given to the Senate.

EDIT: I'm not so sure that is in the fact the final version. News articles seem to be reporting on versions with different page lengths. In any case, the amounts above are valid in either case. It's just a question if the extra tax credit from "conservation credits" went through.

The NYTimes (which is reporting based on the 1724 page Conference Report version) has a good article on the capping of the tax credits. Here is the important part:

I'll go ahead and calculate what the conservation credits would add.