Could the Dutch be about to scrap Tax breaks on Green Cars?

Spotted on the Dutch News website was this little snippet that Dutch Ministers could be about to scrap tax breaks and incentives on 'Green Cars' because it's costing them too much in lost revenue.

Apparently, so many drivers have bought green cars - hybrid vehicles etc - that the Dutch Treasury has already lost over 700m euros in sales tax alone (read the full article here).

Environmental groups are calling the decision (if it's made) "bizarre" citing that Ministers have already scrapped road pricing plans and have cut spending on public transport and new roads.

This is seriously worrying - wether it goes ahead or not, the fact that green transport is only chosen (by many) for the tax and company car savings etc. If our Government decides it's also loosing too much revenue, where does the investment come from for other environmentally friendly transport measures?

It's a real pickle, and one that's sure to dent the fragile eco-vehicle confidence across Europe if it goes ahead, including the UK.

photo credit: dean_dave

Hybrid trucks save 4m gallons of fuel

Thanks to Treehugger for pointing this one out.

Whilst much of the New Year talk has been about electric cars and Government subsidies for such vehicles, it's easy to forget that commercial hybrid vehicles are quietly rolling around our towns and cities delivering the goods whilst protecting our environment and lowering fuel costs for the operators.

Although I can't recall seeing any in this country (yet), in Canada, hybrid drives have been successfully used in everything from local UPS deliveries to school buses and recycling trucks.

The company that makes the hybrid drivetrains announced that with over 4,500 hybrids on the road, its customers had accumulated more than 100 million miles of driving, reducing fuel consumption by 4 million gallons.

Not to mention the 40,000 metric tons of harmful emissions they've cut.

photo credit: mikey

New London congestion charge rules will clobber 'green' prius

"is it me or does the Congestion Charge symbol

look like the Mysterons on Captain Scarlett?"

I was reading a piece about the dramatic fall of electric cars in the UK - down by 90% in 2009 compared with 2007 peak year.

That drop means just 55 'green cars' were registered during 2009.

For anyone thinking that 'green cars' were going to revolutionise road transport in the UK and provide an answer to the gas guzzling petrol heads, it's a bitter blow.

And as if that wasn't bad enough, buried away at the bottom of the piece was a line about the Mayor of London's confirmation of new congestion charge rules, that means vehicles like the 1st generation Toyota Prius will not be eligible for escaping the congestion charge.

That could affect 60,000 owners of hybrid cars. That's the real story here - not a bunch of manufacturers charging £28k for their latest electric car offering.

Now who's putting the boot in?

photo credit: surprise truck

Green vehicle revolution - price puts buyers off claim JD Power

A U.S report by JD Power and Associates has warned that the success of electric and hybrid cars lies with consumer take-up rather than the motor industries forging ahead with new models.

The report (as published in the Globe and Mail) goes onto say that "one or more scenarios" needs to happen before car buyers take up hybrid vehicles.

Namely, a significant increase in the price of fuel, a "substantial" breakthrough in green technologies that reduces the cost of such vehicles or "coordinated government policies" to encourage consumer purchase.

All in all, those hoping for a green car revolution will find little cheer, but then we all knew this already didn't we?

JD Power predict global sales of hybrid / electric vehicles will reach 5.2 million in 2020. That's just 7.3% of the estimated 70.9 million vehicles that will be sold that year. The 2010 prediction is for 2.2% of the 44.7 million car sales will be alternatively fuelled models.

Consumers still find the increased price a put-off when compared with their petrol/diesel equivalent says the report. Consumers are also concerned over reliability, unhappy with the power and performance of current vehicles, worried about driving range and recharging and perhaps most damming - many don't like the styling of the current models.

As one commentator wrote, Hybrids only make sense in stop / start traffic. On the open road, they're just an underpowered petrol car with a 500lb deadweight of batteries in the boot.

It seems we have a long way to go.

p.s. After having a go in a Toyota Prius Hybrid earlier this year, I've posted a couple of times on how much sense the vehicle made (read that post here). And if you're in the market for a new vehicle, then it makes sense to check them out as possible alternatives.

The list price may be higher but the longer view that you'll save money on road tax and fuel could offset that and if you keep the vehicle long enough, then perhaps you'll even end up winning?

photo credit: les chatfield