Guide to Choosing a Vehicle

One of your most important green choices is what kind of car you drive and the associated choices you make every day with your personal transportation. When you're next in the market for a new car, we encourage you to buy the least polluting, most fuel-efficient car that meets your needs.

A statewide survey of Oregon hybrid gas-electric car owners in 2003 by the Oregon Environmental Council found that 98% would recommend their hybrid to a friend. Environmental values figured highly into survey participants’ reasons for buying a hybrid car, but the quality of the car and its handling on the road made them real fans. 89% of survey participants indicated they chose a hybrid to pollute the air less, and 77% chose their hybrid to emit less climate changing carbon dioxide. Many also mentioned their desire to reduce dependence on foreign oil, to convince automakers to produce more hybrids, and to demonstrate their personal values. However, when asked what they liked best about their hybrid, responses leaned toward the quality of the car. 68% mentioned something about the technology, style, or handling of their hybrid.

Here are some other advantages to keep in mind when making the significant financial, and economic, commitment decision to purchase a new vehicle.

WHY IT MAKES SENSE:

You’ll save at the gas pump. The average passenger vehicle on Oregon’s roads achieves only 20 miles per gallon. According to the US Department of Energy’s 2007 Fuel Economy Guide, the 2007 Toyota Prius averages 51 mpg in the city and has an annual fuel cost of only $723; the 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid also averages 51 mpg in the city and has an annual fuel cost of $795; and the 2007 Ford Escape Hybrid SUV is expected to average nearly twice the mileage of its conventional counterpart in stop-and-go traffic, about 31 mpg and has a fuel cost of $1,169. Conversely, a Hummer H3 4-wheel drive gets about 15 mpg in the city and will cost you around $2,337 in fuel costs per year. That’s twice or three times as much annual fuel cost as hybrid – enough savings for plane tickets to a nice Caribbean vacation.

You’ll get a tax break. Washington, Oregon, and Federal government all offer tax breaks if you purchase a hybrid vehicle. Washington even exempts hybrids from motor vehicle emissions testing. These tax breaks and credits can easily run into the thousands of dollars.

You’ll help decrease America’s dependence upon foreign oil while protecting America’s native lands. Over half the oil consumed in the United States is imported. Passenger cars and trucks consume the largest share of this oil – 40%. America’s Annual Energy Outlook 2004, the most recent U.S. government projection, predicts we’ll be importing 70% of our oil by 2025.

Most of the oil consumed in the Northwest originates via the Alaska pipeline. Proposed drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the last completely undisturbed wilderness area in North America, simply cannot be done in an environmentally sensitive way.

You’ll keep cool. Cars, trucks and buses contribute more heat-trapping emissions of carbon dioxide than any other source in Oregon. Every gallon of gas burned forms nearly 20 pounds of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The more fuel-efficient your car is, the less it contributes to global warming.

Your kids will breathe easy. More than half of Oregon’s air pollution is transportation-related. This pollution contributes to numerous health hazards, not the least of which is asthma development in children. Today’s fuel and carbon conscious autos such as hybrids use state-of-the-art pollution control technology and are among the cleanest cars on the road. They meet or beat the stringent California Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle standard and far outdo the most stringent federal standards.

Purchasing Choices

Choose a cleaner, more fuel-efficient conventional car. Don't buy a car that's bigger than your needs. Likewise, avoid heavy options and accessories that decrease fuel economy, such as 6- or 8-cylinder engines, four-wheel drive, and automatic transmission.

Consider a hybrid electric or an electric car. Pure electric vehicles are powered by rechargeable batteries. Their range is currently limited to 100 miles or less, but the technology is improving all the time. Hybrid electric vehicles combine an internal combustion engine with a battery and match or beat the driving range of a conventional car.

Power your diesel car with biodiesel. Biodiesel is a cleaner, nontoxic and renewable alternative to petroleum diesel. Made from waste grease or oil-rich plants, biodiesel can be run in a conventional diesel engine.

Relevant links:

• Green Vehicle Guide (EPA)
• "Buyer's Guide" to Hybrid Cars (OEC)
• Green Car Club (NESEA)
• US Department of Energy’s 2007 Fuel Economy Guide(US Dept. of Energy) 

• Oregon tax credits for hybrid and alternative fuel cars
• Federal tax deductions for hybrid cars