tigerhonaker
10-28-2006, 05:38 PM
NEWS
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Hybrids are slow to make inroads
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Saturday, October 28, 2006
By ASHLEY KINDERGAN
HERALD NEWS
CLIFTON -- It's tough to avoid news about fluctuating gasoline prices or the growing scientific evidence for global warming.
But only a few governmental bodies in North Jersey have purchased hybrid electric hicles that lower emissions and use less gasoline, despite sizeable rebates available for such vehicles.
Clifton and Passaic are the only municipalities in Passaic County that bought hybrid cars, even though hybrid technology has been widely available since 1999, when the Honda Insight, a two-door sedan powered by gasoline and electricity generated from batteries, came to the mass market.
Clifton recently purchased a Toyota Prius hybrid sedan for slightly less than $20,000. Passaic bought a Ford Escape hybrid sport utility vehicle last year for just under $26,000. In Clifton, the Prius will replace a 1995 Chevrolet Corsica and will be used in the Health Department. Passaic officials would not specify the use for their hybrid.
Besides the obvious need for police cars, firetrucks and heavy-duty vehicles for public works departments, local governments buy vehicles for their building, health and code enforcement officers.
Statewide, however, the stock of hybrids and alternative-fuel vehicles in public fleets appears to be rising. A rebate program administered by the state Board of Public Utilities has awarded about $876,500 to 39 public bodies to purchase hybrid or alternative fuel vehicles. The BPU approved an additional $226,500 in rebates Friday. The program has been so popular that waiting lists form after the money runs out each funding round, said Ellen Bourbon, the BPU project manager.
No Passaic County public body has ever applied for the rebates, Borboun said, though after being told of the program's existence, Clifton City Manager Al Greco said he contacted the board and it put the city on a waiting list for a rebate.
The program awards up to $4,000 for a light-duty vehicle such as the Prius, up to $7,000 for a medium-duty vehicle and up to $12,000 for heavy-duty vehicles like garbage trucks. In Bergen County, Paramus, Ridgewood, the Park Ridge Water & Electric Authority and the Bergen County Office of Special Transportation have gotten funding.
Many local officials said they are now or have in the past considered buying hybrids, but are not convinced the technology will save them money or serve their needs.
Hybrids cost more than similar conventional models, and it has been widely reported that hybrid mileage is lower than Environmental Protection Agency estimates. Some local officials said they are not sure gasoline savings will make up for the price premium. Many said they were not aware of the BPU's rebate program.
"I know at one time we looked into them, but the verdict is still out about the energy and effectiveness in terms of the inner city," said Mayor Jose Torres of Paterson, adding that the city would not commit to purchasing alternative fuel vehicles "until the reports can show us that there is truly a cost savings."
Others worry about maintenance and repair costs.
"One of the things we also look at, and there's not a lot of history yet, is what are the repairs and maintenance cost on a hybrid vehicle versus on a gasoline-powered vehicle," said William Close, borough administrator in Haledon. Close said the borough is researching the pros and cons of buying hybrids next year, possibly for the police fleet.
These officials could look to King County in Washington state, where Windell Mitchell, director of fleet administration, presides over 136 hybrids in a fleet of more than 2,000 vehicles. The county, which includes the city of Seattle, started buying hybrid cars in 2001, and Mitchell estimates the county earns a 14 percent return on investment on each hybrid, assuming gasoline costs of $2.10 per gallon and lifetime use of 100,000 miles, a lifespan several municipal officials said was typical.
"Whenever you drive the vehicle in a congested area, you get a better return on investment because you're running on the battery component and not the gas," Mitchell said. "In Seattle, we're a mixed bag. We have inner city and we have highway driving."
Mitchell said repair costs are lower for hybrids than for conventional vehicles.
"The maintenance on the hybrids is less than the conventional, and the reason is that this vehicle operates for a large portion of the time on the battery component, which means there is no need to have tune-ups or preventive maintenance as frequently as we do on the conventional vehicles," Mitchell said.
Others came up with different numbers. Wayne Mayor Scott Rumana said he priced a hybrid Ford Escape when he was looking for a personal vehicle. He said it cost about $7,000 more and would take 15 years to make back the cost difference in gas savings, with gas prices above $3.
Officials in Passaic and Clifton said they will watch their new hybrids closely to determine whether savings occur.
"It's a preliminary vehicle. We really want to test it to see if it's effective. We don't know what the maintenance costs are associated with it," said Greco, adding that Clifton did not perform a formal cost analysis for the vehicle but based its purchase on the commercial information about fuel efficiency.
The decision to buy hybrid comes after a year of higher-than-expected gasoline prices. Clifton had to transfer money within the budget to pay $285,000 for gasoline. Officials had expected to spend about $190,000, said Finance Officer William Nadolny. This year, they foresee spending about $300,000.
Several municipalities are just starting to consider going hybrid.
West Milford has formed an energy task force to investigate ways to save on energy, and will be discussing using smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles, or possibly hybrids and alternative fuel vehicles, said borough administrator Richard Kunze. Wayne has formed a similar task force.
For municipalities considering going hybrid, Bradley Berman, editor of hybridcars.com, said full hybrids, like Toyota and Ford models, do better in city driving, whereas Honda hybrids do equally well in both city and highway driving. He said hybrid drivers should expect moderate, not dramatic, savings on gas, and should not be shocked if they don't get the advertised 55 mile-per-gallon result that the EPA advertises on cars like the Prius.
"No cars achieve EPA rating," Berman said. "If you drive a hybrid in a hybrid-like way, which means carefully, slowly, no jackrabbit starts, coast as much as you can, you can beat EPA ratings."
On hybridcars.com, Berman points out that hybrids have higher resale values as well. In fact, Consumer Reports recently named the Prius as the best car for retaining its resale value.
And then there's the warm, fuzzy feeling.
"Government should be sending a message, right?" Berman said. "It's a very nice thing to have your city fleet running on the most fuel-efficient, least-polluting vehicle you can possibly buy."
Reach Ashley Kindergan at 973-569-7164 or Kindergan@northjersey.com.
http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkzJmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3MDExOTg2JnlyaXJ5N2Y3MTdmN3ZxZWVFRXl5Mg==
http://www.northjersey.com/img/line2.gif
Hybrids are slow to make inroads
http://www.northjersey.com/img/herald_logo_sm.gif
Saturday, October 28, 2006
By ASHLEY KINDERGAN
HERALD NEWS
CLIFTON -- It's tough to avoid news about fluctuating gasoline prices or the growing scientific evidence for global warming.
But only a few governmental bodies in North Jersey have purchased hybrid electric hicles that lower emissions and use less gasoline, despite sizeable rebates available for such vehicles.
Clifton and Passaic are the only municipalities in Passaic County that bought hybrid cars, even though hybrid technology has been widely available since 1999, when the Honda Insight, a two-door sedan powered by gasoline and electricity generated from batteries, came to the mass market.
Clifton recently purchased a Toyota Prius hybrid sedan for slightly less than $20,000. Passaic bought a Ford Escape hybrid sport utility vehicle last year for just under $26,000. In Clifton, the Prius will replace a 1995 Chevrolet Corsica and will be used in the Health Department. Passaic officials would not specify the use for their hybrid.
Besides the obvious need for police cars, firetrucks and heavy-duty vehicles for public works departments, local governments buy vehicles for their building, health and code enforcement officers.
Statewide, however, the stock of hybrids and alternative-fuel vehicles in public fleets appears to be rising. A rebate program administered by the state Board of Public Utilities has awarded about $876,500 to 39 public bodies to purchase hybrid or alternative fuel vehicles. The BPU approved an additional $226,500 in rebates Friday. The program has been so popular that waiting lists form after the money runs out each funding round, said Ellen Bourbon, the BPU project manager.
No Passaic County public body has ever applied for the rebates, Borboun said, though after being told of the program's existence, Clifton City Manager Al Greco said he contacted the board and it put the city on a waiting list for a rebate.
The program awards up to $4,000 for a light-duty vehicle such as the Prius, up to $7,000 for a medium-duty vehicle and up to $12,000 for heavy-duty vehicles like garbage trucks. In Bergen County, Paramus, Ridgewood, the Park Ridge Water & Electric Authority and the Bergen County Office of Special Transportation have gotten funding.
Many local officials said they are now or have in the past considered buying hybrids, but are not convinced the technology will save them money or serve their needs.
Hybrids cost more than similar conventional models, and it has been widely reported that hybrid mileage is lower than Environmental Protection Agency estimates. Some local officials said they are not sure gasoline savings will make up for the price premium. Many said they were not aware of the BPU's rebate program.
"I know at one time we looked into them, but the verdict is still out about the energy and effectiveness in terms of the inner city," said Mayor Jose Torres of Paterson, adding that the city would not commit to purchasing alternative fuel vehicles "until the reports can show us that there is truly a cost savings."
Others worry about maintenance and repair costs.
"One of the things we also look at, and there's not a lot of history yet, is what are the repairs and maintenance cost on a hybrid vehicle versus on a gasoline-powered vehicle," said William Close, borough administrator in Haledon. Close said the borough is researching the pros and cons of buying hybrids next year, possibly for the police fleet.
These officials could look to King County in Washington state, where Windell Mitchell, director of fleet administration, presides over 136 hybrids in a fleet of more than 2,000 vehicles. The county, which includes the city of Seattle, started buying hybrid cars in 2001, and Mitchell estimates the county earns a 14 percent return on investment on each hybrid, assuming gasoline costs of $2.10 per gallon and lifetime use of 100,000 miles, a lifespan several municipal officials said was typical.
"Whenever you drive the vehicle in a congested area, you get a better return on investment because you're running on the battery component and not the gas," Mitchell said. "In Seattle, we're a mixed bag. We have inner city and we have highway driving."
Mitchell said repair costs are lower for hybrids than for conventional vehicles.
"The maintenance on the hybrids is less than the conventional, and the reason is that this vehicle operates for a large portion of the time on the battery component, which means there is no need to have tune-ups or preventive maintenance as frequently as we do on the conventional vehicles," Mitchell said.
Others came up with different numbers. Wayne Mayor Scott Rumana said he priced a hybrid Ford Escape when he was looking for a personal vehicle. He said it cost about $7,000 more and would take 15 years to make back the cost difference in gas savings, with gas prices above $3.
Officials in Passaic and Clifton said they will watch their new hybrids closely to determine whether savings occur.
"It's a preliminary vehicle. We really want to test it to see if it's effective. We don't know what the maintenance costs are associated with it," said Greco, adding that Clifton did not perform a formal cost analysis for the vehicle but based its purchase on the commercial information about fuel efficiency.
The decision to buy hybrid comes after a year of higher-than-expected gasoline prices. Clifton had to transfer money within the budget to pay $285,000 for gasoline. Officials had expected to spend about $190,000, said Finance Officer William Nadolny. This year, they foresee spending about $300,000.
Several municipalities are just starting to consider going hybrid.
West Milford has formed an energy task force to investigate ways to save on energy, and will be discussing using smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles, or possibly hybrids and alternative fuel vehicles, said borough administrator Richard Kunze. Wayne has formed a similar task force.
For municipalities considering going hybrid, Bradley Berman, editor of hybridcars.com, said full hybrids, like Toyota and Ford models, do better in city driving, whereas Honda hybrids do equally well in both city and highway driving. He said hybrid drivers should expect moderate, not dramatic, savings on gas, and should not be shocked if they don't get the advertised 55 mile-per-gallon result that the EPA advertises on cars like the Prius.
"No cars achieve EPA rating," Berman said. "If you drive a hybrid in a hybrid-like way, which means carefully, slowly, no jackrabbit starts, coast as much as you can, you can beat EPA ratings."
On hybridcars.com, Berman points out that hybrids have higher resale values as well. In fact, Consumer Reports recently named the Prius as the best car for retaining its resale value.
And then there's the warm, fuzzy feeling.
"Government should be sending a message, right?" Berman said. "It's a very nice thing to have your city fleet running on the most fuel-efficient, least-polluting vehicle you can possibly buy."
Reach Ashley Kindergan at 973-569-7164 or Kindergan@northjersey.com.
http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkzJmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3MDExOTg2JnlyaXJ5N2Y3MTdmN3ZxZWVFRXl5Mg==