Bohac, Anchia to Reward Hybrid Car Purchases

AUSTIN - In an effort to impact our dependence on foreign oil imports and decrease vehicle emissions, State Representatives Dwayne Bohac (R-Houston) and Rafael Anchia (D-Dallas) filed House Bill 1335 that rewards consumers who choose to purchase more fuel efficient vehicles, including hybrid engine vehicles (HEV’s).

“This state must confront the serious challenge of reducing vehicle emissions - not to mention reducing our dependence on foreign oil,” Bohac said. “This bill allows us to kill two birds with one stone by creating an incentive to drive more fuel efficient vehicles and getting older, less efficient vehicles off the road.”

The Bohac-Anchia Hybrid Car Bill offers state rebates to purchasers of hybrid engine or alternative fuel vehicles based on emissions. The bill would give a 10 percent rebate on the sales price of any vehicle that is rated in the Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Vehicle Guide as emitting less than 0.45 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) per mile, or averaging 44 miles to the gallon. The bill also includes a 7 percent rebate on vehicles that emit less than 0.45 but not more than 0.55 pounds of carbon dioxide per mile or average 36 to 43 miles per gallon.

Carbon dioxide is the pollutant driving the “greenhouse effect.” When released into air through vehicle emissions, CO2 becomes trapped in the atmosphere, thereby heating the earth’s surface. In Harris County, 55 percent of carbon dioxide emissions comes from the tailpipes of cars and trucks, according to the Houston Chronicle.

“A growing number of Texans consider air quality and its impact on the health of their families a crucial concern,” Anchia said. “We want legislation that rewards the purchase of cleaner burning automobiles, and in the process makes hybrid technology more affordable for all Texans.”

Three areas of the state are designated by the Environmental Protection Agency as being in “non-attainment” with federal emissions guidelines: Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, Dallas-Fort Worth and Beaumont-Port Arthur. All three areas have exceeded the federal 8-hour ozone standard at which the EPA considers the amount of ground level ozone present to be a public health risk. If those regions are unable to move out of non-attainment status, they are at risk of losing federal transportation dollars, and losing local control over air quality control policies.

While the federal government offers a limited number of tax breaks on HEV’s, the costs associated with hybrid technology can act as a deterrent to potential consumers. Anchia and Bohac agree that creating economic incentives for the purchase of hybrid vehicles would make HEV’s - which can cost as much as $5,000 more on average than vehicles with standard engines - more affordable for a wider cross-section of consumers in the economy.

“This is something that we should’ve been doing ten years ago,” Bohac said. “That’s why we need an aggressive, short-term incentive to stimulate HEV sales in Texas now.”

The bill expands an existing program in the Texas Emissions Reduction Program (TERP), and shifts funds from a program for cleaner diesel engines to a fund for low emission passenger car incentives - effectively eliminating the need to tap the state’s general fund.

“I believe this is a great use of TERP money in this state,” Anchia said. “The money is already there - we just need to use it the right way.”

HEV’s work by integrating a fuel-injected gasoline engine with an electric motor and high-powered battery. The battery powers an electric motor and recharges by recapturing energy that would normally be lost when idling, ensuring greater fuel economy and lower emissions.

“We have a chance to take the lead on encouraging hybrid vehicle purchases and other alternative fuel vehicles,” Anchia said. “I want the state of Texas to be the leader in environmentally sound vehicles.”

Today’s generation of HEV’s have the ability to achieve as many as 60 miles per gallon without having to be plugged in to an outlet or requiring extra maintenance. HEV’s are expected to attain fuel mileage as high as 190 miles per gallon in the near future, according to the website Hybrid-Car.org.

“Through technology, conservation and increasing domestic oil output, we can strategically attack our over-reliance on foreign oil,” Bohac said. “It’s a national security, environmental and economic issue.”