I dunno- I like the idea of promoting it more- but something just seems a little odd with the placement- although I know the Altima's have them on the side as well. I would think the wheels would make it look different on first glance anyways. Maybe we should all paint our antenna's green??

 

So these are optional and not "included" on any vehicles?

I agree, I would not mind flaunting my "Greenness" but at $40 a pop, I think I will find something else to promote it !

 

At first, I really didn't care if my HCH said Hybrid on the side. But this past weekend I was at the outlets and saw a Prius with the Hybrid badge on the sides. Now I want them....

 

Folks;

There's yet another dimension beyond "publicizing" your hybrid by placing Hybrid side badges on the HCH-II.

The first responders and emergency services personnel are trained to recognize a hybrid vehicle by first attempting to identify it by the decals and badges, and then looking for orange sleeved power lines on the underside of the vehicle.

Now, if the underside of the vehicle is not visible or easily accessible, the only significant clue as to the vehicles true nature is only reflected through the badges that it may still be wearing. Hopefully the accident itself wont knock out the single rear badge that the HCH-II possess. But if it does because of a rear impact or scrape then not many other clues remain.

OK, so some of your will say: But you still got the unique wheels !

Not quite!! For me and many other folks, the OEM wheels get traded for different rims with winter rubber on them. And at that point my HCH-II's look almost like a normal civic. In fact most folks would have a hard time telling the difference.

That is the second reason why I got the side badges on my cars. The first reason, is that my Prius had it and the HCH-II looked "odd" beside it without them. Besides, all of today's meaningful hybrids possess side badges except for HCH-II.

Cheers;

MSantos

 

Larry,

They are $20 to 25 bucks a pop and when you buy two it will put you in the 40 dollar range.

Anthony

 

Wow, very valid point, thanks! Now I feel 'greener' and safer.

 

Why would the 1st responders care if it were a Hybrid or not?

 

From what I've read so far, its an issue of cutting the electrical lines and/or damaged batteries. A quick Google search finds reports that hybrids and EVs are potentially dangerous if you don't know what your getting into when responding to a wreck.

http://www.google.com/search?rls=en&...ponders+hybrid

 

If they have to cut into the car (ugly, but it happens) to get you out, then they don't want to cut into cables carrying 168V though 'em. I'm sure there are other reasons, but that one is paramount, I think.

 

Safety is important, especially for emergency responders and advertising the car is a hybrid is fair enough. I wouldn't mind having side badges.

The car is designed so that the high voltage cables are not where you would need to cut anyway.

Here are the emergency response guides:
https://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/pubs/web/ER2005.pdf
https://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/...eb/ERS2006.pdf