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Hi everyone. Happy new year! 2007 was a wild ride, and DCN members were right in the midst of getting the attention of the automakers (we’re making progress), Congress (we made history), and the Bush administration (still playing politics). 2008 looks to be a whole new ballgame, and will present new challenges on the policy front and in moving the hybrid market forward. So let’s get caught up, take a quick look back, and then forge ahead!
Take care,
Scott Nathanson
UCS National Field Organizer &
HybridCenter.org Administrator
In this issue:
I’ve talked a lot over the past several months about our historic victory on fuel economy in December. So I’m not going to belabor that point too much. But, it represents a lot of hard work by DCN Members, UCS activists, staff, and others—so I feel obligated to give you one last update on why this victory was so significant This was from our January UCS legislative update:
 This tremendous progress was the culmination of a year of concerted efforts and hard work. In January 2007, UCS activists across the country began a grassroots drumbeat for both the higher fuel economy and new renewable energy standards. June marked the launch of our “Fuel a Cooler Future” campaign where activists focused on an Energy Bill that would create jobs, save consumers money, and reduce our global warming pollution by including these two critical initiatives. During the campaign, UCS activists sent nearly 100,000 messages calling for a good, strong Energy Bill.
And there were not only emails—thousands picked up the phone and personally urged their members of Congress to clean up our energy system and reduce our dependence on oil, while others used our Receipt Revolution action to mail personalized gas receipts to Congress. With the help of UCS Clean Vehicles and Clean Energy staff, some activists even set up personal meetings with their representatives. On Capitol Hill, calls, hand-written letters, and in-district meeting requests make a particular impression on congressional staff and members of Congress, sending the signal that constituents really care about an issue.
The fuel economy increase is extremely important in light of the vehicles that actually hit the road in 2007—and those that were nowhere to be seen. On the highlight side, Ford focused on fuel economy for the ’08 Escape and Mariner Hybrids (as well as the introduction of the Mazda Tribute Hybrid, an Escape and Mariner clone), and it was met by a surge in sales. This surge was part of overall strong growth for the year in hybrid models, climbing 38 percent to almost 350,000 units. Also on the plus side in ’07 was the introduction of the Nissan Altima Hybrid, which would have been an even stronger plus had Nissan decided to make it available nationwide instead of just in a few select states with California emission standards.
And, while we noted with some pleasure that 2007 marked the year that Honda learned its lesson and discontinued the first muscle hybrid—the Accord—last year also marked the introduction of the first hybrids with V8 engines. The Lexus LS 600h L brought up Toyota’s muscle hybrid ratio with fuel economy that barely topped 20mpg, and the first true hybrids from General Motors—the Yukon and Tahoe Hybrids—turned a breakthrough drivetrain into business as usual.
 As a parent looking for a larger hybrid vehicle, I lament the fact that the Yukon/Tahoe is the first full-sized hybrid to hit the U.S. market, especially with two Toyota hybrid minivans cruising around Japan. But we DCN activists didn’t just sit idly by—last year we sent a petition with nearly 20,000 signatures to Toyota asking them to bring a fuel-efficient hybrid minivan to America, and challenged them to stop focusing on “miles-over-muscle” for their current hybrid crop. Given the increased sensitivities among automaker marketers to the lack of success with the “performance hybrid” label—perhaps our message is actually starting to sink in.
While 2007 was certainly not a breakthrough year for what automakers put on the roads, the combination of a new fuel economy reality and sustained high gas prices certainly amped-up the rhetoric. Following on Fisker Automotive and Tesla Motors’ plans to bring a plug-in hybrid and electric vehicle to market, respectively, the major automakers have unleashed a torrent of activity around plug-in and electric vehicle concepts. General Motors rolled out its Chevy Volt concept, and says that it may have a plug-in Vue Hybrid on the market by 2010. Jim Press, jumping from Toyota to head Chrysler, set up a whole new unit dedicated to green vehicles (ENVI). Toyota, meanwhile, bumped up its own plug-in research, trying to maintain market advantage, though initial plans to roll out a Gen. 3 Prius with a lithium-ion battery (a battery technology considered by many a needed technological step for a cost-effective plug-in) was pushed back. At the January 2008 Detroit auto show, Toyota announced its commitment to lithium-ion technology, with an intended plug-in introduction by 2010. As I note in the DCN Newsbytes below, plug-ins are definitely making progress, but have not yet proven ready for prime time. 2008 may well tell a new story on that front.
While that’s only scratching the surface of an amazing and historic year (I didn’t even mention our huge Supreme Court win…), it was, in all, a year to be excited about. Perhaps not for what hit the roads, but for paving the way for a genuinely cleaner future.
Last month, I noted my frustration when the Bush administration used the new fuel economy standards as an excuse to block states’ rights under the Clean Air Act to tackle global warming pollution from autos. On January 24, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Stephen Johnson received a severe tongue-lashing from a number of senators in his first public testimony since denying the waiver states need in order to implement California’s clean car standards.
 Despite significantly censoring the documents he provided to Congress regarding the rationale for the denial, word continues to leak out about the level of disagreement between Johnson and EPA staff. Johnson has already received thousands of letters berating him for this outrageous decision disregarding both the science and the law, but it looks like this one will go to the courts.
On January 2, California initiated a lawsuit to overturn Johnson’s decision. So far, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington have all joined the lawsuit. These are all states that have adopted the clean car standards and are waiting for the waiver to implement their new laws. Even more encouraging however, is that Arizona, Delaware, Illinois, and Minnesota have also have joined the suit despite not having adopted the standards. States have until February 2 to join as parties to the lawsuit. So if your state is not on the list, please ask your Attorney General and Governor to join in today.
Last week in Detroit, we got a glimpse of the conventional and futuristic technologies automakers have in their tool kits to respond to consumer demand and comply with the new fuel economy law. General Motors unveiled the latest concept vehicle using "E-flex" hybrid technology, first introduced in last year's Chevy Volt plug-in prototype. They also introduced more models with the "Two-Mode" hybrid option currently available in some Yukon and Tahoe SUVs.  Meanwhile, Ford trumpeted its "EcoBoost" gasoline turbo direct injection engine, a cost-effective conventional technology capable of delivering a fuel economy increase of as much as 20 percent. Ford also has been talking up cost-effective ways to cut weight using high strength materials and incorporate energy-efficient accessories such as electric power steering.
Our senior vehicles analyst Jim Kliesch put all the glitz into needed perspective, when he said:
It's not enough to simply make a green concept car. Every time an automaker introduces something new at the auto show, consumers should ask how many and how soon. With gas prices hovering around $3 a gallon and a new fuel economy law in place, successful automakers will be those with sound business plans to put millions of fuel efficient cars on the road in the next few years.
Not to be too negative, but there was one example that came up in Detroit that cast some doubt in my mind about whether the automakers are really getting the point. Now, we’ve had nothing but kudos for Ford and their commitment to improving conventional technologies, including the above-mentioned “EcoBoost” engine design. But despite their ’08 Escape Hybrid’s technological and sales success, Ford decided that they’d bump up the horsepower of the ’09 model by 11 percent, while leaving fuel economy unchanged.
It would seem that old habits die hard. This is yet another example of why stronger standards are so important for pushing cleaner and more efficient technologies to market—not just to the auto show.
 Hybrids & plug-ins in China: Chery, BYD, and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp (SAIC) are among the Chinese automakers slated to introduce self-developed advanced technology vehicles within the next few years. Notably, in December, the Chang'an Automotive Group began production of its mild-hybrid Jiexun crossover which uses China’s first domestically-produced hybrid drive system—developed as part of a government-sponsored advanced technology research program. The vehicle is expected to achieve 36 mpg and be affordably priced around $20,000. For more information, check out the Hybrid News Center.
- Local hybrid perks on the horizon: Colorado is poised to join the host of states that allow solo drivers of hybrids to use HOV and high-occupancy toll lanes. Approval of the state’s hybrid exemption is expected by this spring. Also, residents in Parkland, Florida may soon be rewarded for driving hybrid vehicles, among other behaviors deemed “green,” under the city’s Energy Incentive Reward Program. The City Commission is expected to make a final decision on this proposed ordinance in the upcoming weeks. As a reminder, you can learn more about proposed and enacted hybrid perks on our State and Federal Hybrid Incentives page.
- Advanced battery technology still a work in-progress: The number of plug-ins at the Detroit Auto Show suggests that the development of advanced battery technology is well on its way. For example, Johnson Controls Inc., one of the many suppliers working on advanced battery packs, unveiled its new PHEV concept which features lithium-ion battery technology that would last 10 years and take up one-third less space and weigh 50 percent less than nickel-metal hydride batteries. Yet, the exact delivery date of such advanced battery packs, though “nearing,” remains uncertain. Though cost, performance, and safety considerations still remain, lithium-ion batteries are expected to entirely replace nickel-metal hydride batteries in hybrids within the upcoming decade. For more information, check out the Hybrid News Center.
 It’s no surprise that taxicab operators and drivers, whose profits are directly affected by volatile gasoline prices and their vehicles’ fuel economy, have become interested in replacing the unofficial taxicab “workhorse,” the Ford Crown Victoria, and other gas-thirsty models, with hybrids. Regenerative braking and idle-off features make sense for taxis which spend much time idling and in stop-and-go traffic. While the price premium associated with replacing older taxicabs with newer hybrid models may be significant, an increasing number of operators and taxicab drivers are realizing the potential benefits from such a switch.
In 2000, a Toyota Prius in Vancouver became the first hybrid taxicab. Five years later, San Francisco and New York City became the first U.S. cities to operate hybrid taxicabs—Ford Escape Hybrids. Since then, companies throughout the world have added hybrid vehicles to their taxicab fleets and many cities are considering incentives, such as discounted licenses, to encourage taxi owners to make the switch to hybrids and other clean, efficient vehicles.
Here are just a few U.S. locales that boast hybrid taxi service:
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New York City, New York: New York leads the nation with more than 370 hybrids—Ford Escape, Lexus RX 400h, Toyota Prius, and other hybrids—in its fleet of 13,000 taxis. In 2007, Mayor Bloomberg announced plans for new emissions and fuel economy standards for taxicabs that will result in the hybridization of the city’s entire taxi fleet by 2012.
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San Francisco, California: This city wants half its taxi fleet powered by cleaner-energy sources, including hybrid and compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles, by the end of the year. Currently, the city has more than 40 hybrid taxis in operation, including Ford Escape Hybrid SUVs run by Yellow Cab & Luxor Cab.
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Chicago, Illinois: Chicago enacted a rule in 2007 requiring taxicab owners that operate 50 or more taxicabs to license one hybrid or alternative fuel vehicle. Consequently, the city has already added to its fleet at least two hybrids, a Ford Escape and Toyota Prius, operated by Carriage Cab Company and an independent operator, respectively.
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Boston, Massachusetts: Boston CleanAir Cabs seeks to ensure the replacement of the city’s old taxis with hybrid electric or alternative-fuel vehicles. The Boston Cab Association put the city’s first hybrid taxicab, a Toyota Camry Hybrid, into service under this initiative in 2006.
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Seattle, Washington: Thanks to an agreement reached between the Port of Seattle and the Seattle-Tacoma International Taxi Association, twenty-five hybrid taxis are now being used to shuttle airport passengers.
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Arlington County, Virginia: EnviroCAB is the first taxicab company in the greater Washington, DC area to rely solely on hybrid vehicles. Arlington’s largest taxi company, Red Top Cab, has recently added five Ford Escape Hybrids to its fleet.
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Texas: Green & Go Clean Taxi Partnership promotes the use of hybrid vehicles in the state's larger cities. As part of this initiative, Yellow Cab has added Ford Escape Hybrid and Toyota Prius taxicabs to its fleets in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio areas.
Along with the greening of the taxicabs, many new green car services have cropped up including:
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Planet Tran—An all-hybrid executive car service launched in Boston in 2003, Planet Tran primarily serves airports in greater Boston and the San Francisco Bay Area. The company uses a fleet of Toyota Prius hybrids.
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OZOcar—Launched in 2005, OZOcar operates a fleet of “well-equipped” Toyota and Lexus Hybrids in the New York City area. While the default car is the Toyota Prius, the company also uses the Lexus RX400h, Toyota Highlander Hybrid, and other hybrids.
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Ecolimo—Based in California and Washington, D.C., Ecolimo’s fleet includes the Toyota Prius Hybrid, Toyota Camry Hybrid, and Lexus400h and well as non-hybrids.
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Envirocar—A chauffeured transportation option based in Phoenix, Arizona, Envirocar utilizes a hybrid fleet of Lexus RX400h and Toyota Prius hybrids.
While these are exciting developments for consumers looking for greener taxi options, I just want to throw in a couple notes of caution. Much like the rental car market, just because a company sells its vehicles as “green” doesn’t automatically make it so. And one should always remember that the public transportation options in many of these areas give a far larger environmental “bang” for far less money—so think first before hopping into a yellow cab, no matter how green it is.
Who’s Got Hybrids Now?
 Melinda Seader of Bloomington, IN has gone both large and small, owning a Toyota Prius and Highlander Hybrid—and she “loves both of them!”
If you own a hybrid or know of anyone who does, please remember to tell them to submit their testimonials today!
That’s it for this month, everyone!
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