Hello Again Driving Change Network Members!
Welcome to the June edition of the Driving Change Network newsletter. The summer driving season is upon us, new hybrid models are hitting the showroom floors, and the hybrid tax credit issue continues to heat up. All that, plus a little fun with our “Who’s Got Hybrids?” feature should make this, I hope, an entertaining and informative edition.
Keep yourselves, and the planet, cool,
Scott Nathanson
UCS National Field Organizer &
HybridCenter.org Administrator
In this issue:
Remember I told you that when we were done getting everyone in our database up on the “Who’s Got Hybrids?” feature, and corrected all the pictures that got distorted, we would let you know about it? Well thanks to the hard work of our Program Assistant Lindsay Vidal, I am pleased to say that we’ve gotten to the vast majority of both new and existing testimonials and we are ready for your feedback. For those of you DCN members who are up on “Who’s Got Hybrids?,” please take a look at your posting and let me know if it’s right. If you think you submitted a testimonial and picture and are NOT up there, let me know that too and I’ll figure out what happened. And, of course, if you have any updates to your testimonials (new data, new tips, etc.), send them to me at hybridcenter@ucsusa.org and we’ll take care of that for you too. Remember that we’re always looking for more testimonials, so don’t forget to tell your hybrid-owning friends (and those thinking of buying a hybrid, for that matter) about the “Who’s Got Hybrids?” feature.
As you know, everyday an article is published in a newspaper or online forum that relates to hybrid technologies and incentives, providing a great opportunity for hybrid enthusiasts to share their experiences and views on vehicle technology and policies. In April, we kicked off the DCN Rapid Response Letter to the Editor (LTE) action program as a way to encourage members to actively engage the media on these important issues. I am constantly looking for ways to make these efforts as easy, yet effective, as possible.
In an effort to make our letters to the editor more timely and targeted, our intrepid Program Assistant Lindsay Vidal will be scanning the media around the country. When she finds a piece in your area that could use a DCN member response, she will email you with a link to the article, suggested response points, and information about where to send your response. So be on the lookout for your first Rapid Response LTE email and get ready to share your enthusiasm locally. I’d also appreciate your suggestions of any articles you find locally as well. Please let me know about those, or how we can make this program even stronger by emailing hybridcenter@ucsusa.org.
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More Toyota news: Toyota recently announced two hybrid sales milestones. The company has sold more than 500,000 Priuses worldwide since 1997, and it has also reached the 60,000-unit tax credit cap. This means prospective Toyota and Lexus hybrid buyers have until September 30 to qualify for the 100 percent tax credit. On October 1, the credit will be reduced by 50 percent. Find out more Toyota hybrid news by visiting the Hybrid News section.
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About those tax credits…: Two major articles were recently published in the New York Times and Cleveland Plain Dealer about the policy ramifications of Toyota’s reaching the tax credit cap. Our own Research Director David Friedman is quoted in both articles. I can’t agree with David Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, who is also quoted in the story as saying the idea of the limited credit was "to really kind of level the playing field a little bit, and it is basically good policy.” I feel that he confuses the notion of an incentive versus a subsidy. I blogged about this very argument last month—you can read more of my thoughts on the topic here.
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More employers offer hybrid perks: This month, Bank of America and the American Jewish Committee both announced hybrid incentive employee programs. The American Jewish Committee is offering its employees up to $2,500 toward the lease or purchase of a fuel-efficient vehicle (mainly, but not exclusively, hybrids). As far as we know they’re the first nonprofit company to offer this perk. Bank of America’s program offers $3,000 to qualified employees in Los Angeles, Charlotte, NC, and Boston. The company may extend this program beyond the three cities, which would make it the largest U.S. private company program in terms of workers eligible. For more information, check out the Hybrid News section.
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2006 Michelin Challenge Bibendum: People from all over the world gathered in Paris this June for the five-day Michelin Challenge Bibendum, an annual “international sustainable mobility event.” For those of you who don’t know, Bibendum is that white tire-looking guy that serves as the Michelin mascot. This year’s participants, who included carmakers, universities, and companies, entered more than 150 environmentally friendly concept vehicles and prototypes for public display and technical tests. You can learn more about the event, including which vehicles performed best, at the Michelin Challenge Bibendum website.
Now let’s have a little fun. I’ve got a Wagan Tech dual-receptacle car maplight and AA battery charger for the first person who emails me at hybridcenter@ucsusa.org with the correct answers to the following questions about our “Who’s Got Hybrids?” feature:
Which “Who’s Got Hybrids?” owners gave us the following tips and notes?
 “The best mileage performance comes when I maintain the speed limit, use cruise control on the highway, and avoid quick acceleration at stoplights.”
 “The Civic's engine will restart if you lift off the brake and 'creep' forward when you are waiting at a traffic light.”
 “The stop-and-go of the traffic is great for our mileage.”
Final question: What acronym that we all obsess about here at the Driving Change Network can you get by putting the answers to the three previous questions together? Hint, it’s all a “state” of mind.
Good luck!
* Note—employees of the Union of Concerned Scientists and their direct family members are not eligible for this contest.
 Now that summer is finally here, everyone is gearing up for road trips to the beach, the mountains, or grandma’s house. I thought it would be a good time to remind you about a few basic ways you can maximize your personal or rental vehicle’s gas mileage and, in the process, save a little money for souvenirs (and save a little oil for the planet, to boot).
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Drive less. Driving as little as possible is the best way to reduce the environmental impact of your transportation needs. Link errands, carpool, use mass transit, bike, or walk whenever possible.
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Drive moderately. High-speed driving and jackrabbit starts increase both fuel use and emissions. There are a number of drivers on “Who’s Got Hybrids?” that give useful tips about how to most efficiently drive current hybrid models.
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Keep your vehicle well tuned. Simple maintenance—such as regular oil changes, air filter changes, and spark plug replacements—will lengthen the life of your car as well as improve fuel economy and minimize emissions.
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Inflate your tires. Keeping your tires properly inflated saves fuel by reducing the amount of drag your engine must overcome. Here’s an interesting tidbit on tire pressure from “Who’s Got Hybrids?” owner Dave Michaels.
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Keep track of your fuel economy. A drop in your car's fuel economy can be a sign of engine trouble. Keeping track of your fuel economy on a regular basis can let you know when something is malfunctioning. You can check your gas mileage by noting the odometer reading and number of gallons you purchase each time you fill up. Divide the number of miles traveled between fill-ups by the number of gallons purchased. (Of course many hybrid owners just need to check their monitors for this information, but doing it manually can also confirm whether your computer is accurately monitoring your fuel economy).
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Don't let your car idle for more than a minute. During startup, your engine burns extra gasoline. However, letting your engine idle for more than a minute burns more fuel than turning off the engine and restarting it. Of course if your car has idle-off capacity, you don’t have to worry about this one.
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Park in the shade. This minimizes fuel evaporation and helps keep your car cool in summer months.
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Be weight-conscious. Put heavy items in the trunk instead of on a roof rack, which creates drag. And don’t carry around items you don’t need; for every 100 pounds of weight in your car, fuel economy decreases by one to two percent.
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Limit air conditioning, which consumes fuel. At lower speeds, open the windows or sunroof to stay cool. At higher speeds, use the car’s fan instead (open windows create drag that reduces mileage).
That’s it for this month. Have a great and safe Fourth of July holiday everyone!
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“Who’s Got Hybrids?”—Hit Us With Your Best Shot
