Gas sippers get bigger brake - 想买新车的要注意了.

ZJDX · 发表于 2007-3-20 08:38

EDMONTON - Angus Yee was looking to buy a truck but widened his search to a hybrid car when he heard about the federal budget's rebate on fuel-efficient vehicles.

"That's a good idea," Yee, 24, said Monday after hearing he can get a federal rebate cheque for up to $2,000 rebate if he buys "green."

The Edmonton resident was at Alberta Honda to check out a Ridgeline truck, which Honda markets for its "extra power." Its federal average fuel rating is 12.4 litres per 100 kilometres, too high for a rebate. Outside the showroom window there was a Civic Hybrid rated at just 4.5 litres, good for the full $2,000. Yee said that's enough to make him at least consider choosing fuel efficiency over power.

"It's a good start, to get a rebate," he said. "And you save a lot on gas."

Sales manager Brent Giblin said he expects the rebates will drive customers towards cars that qualify. He said a $2,000 manufacturer's rebate late last year boosted sales sharply. A $2,000 rebate would erase roughly half the price gap between similarly equipped hybrid and non-hybrid models, he said.

Clare Demerse, speaking from Ottawa for the Alberta-based the Pembina Institute, said she doubts there will much change in auto buying habits as a result of the rebates -- or a new tax of up to $4,000 on gas guzzlers.

"The vast majority of cars won't be affected," Demerse said. She said about 80 per cent of autos are not green enough to qualify for the rebates or hogs enough to fall afoul of the penalties. The carrot-and-stick approach applies as of March 20.

The rebates start at $1,000 for cars that drink no more than 6.5 litres of fuel in combined highway-city driving. For minivans, sport utilities and light trucks the limit is a more forgiving 8.3 litres.

There is also a $1,000 rebate for efficient vehicles that can run on ethanol and therefore give off about 40 per cent less greenhouse gas than if burning gasoline. They include the Chrysler Sebring, which consumes 13 litres per 100 kilometres.

But the government will impose a tax, starting at $1,000, on vehicles that use 13 litres of gasoline, and rising to $4,000 on those rated at 16 litres. A Hummer with a rating of 14 litres would attract a $2,000 tax.

Pembina's Demerse said the government dismissed such penalties as insignificant for people willing to spend on such up-market vehicles.

The government should have imposed tough environmental regulations such as California is introducing, she said. While Canada's standards are to improve by 2011 they won't be as strict as those that California will have as early as 2009.

"Overall the budget is a big disappointment on the climate-change side," Demerse said.

The budget will phase out a tax break for oilsands projects which have come under fire for producing high levels of greenhouse gas. But the Accelerated Capital Cost Allowance remains in place for two years and won't affect projects that are underway or impending.

Greg Christenson, Edmonton Chamber of Commerce chairman, said phasing out the ACCA is a concern to business because the tax break has been important for oilsands development.

But generally the budget is good for local business, Christenson said.

He welcomed a provision that lets companies apply building costs more quickly against taxes when they expand their plant operations. "It's very timely because Edmonton is the industrial growth centre for Western Canada." As well, there are improvements for labour-market training and for municipal infrastructure work, Christenson said.

Danielle Smith, provincial affairs director for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, said small businesses will benefit from a commitment that they need not file reports with the government so frequently on Employment Insurance, and also improves productivity by letting businesses write off the cost of machinery and equipment faster.

dthorne@thejournal.canwest.com

- - -

"The government is basically ignoring the climate crisis."

-- John Bennett of the Climate Action Network, on the budget's lack of initiatives for the environment.

Angus Yee checks out a suddenly more affordable Honda Civic Hybrid at Yellowhead Honda.
Shaughn Butts, The Journal

jpyu64 · 发表于 2007-3-20 12:26

gstudy · 发表于 2007-3-20 15:07

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