the Hummer -- an American Excess Story (tax credit with environ. pass)

[papau]

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-morrison18aug18.story

It's Big, It's Thirsty, It's the Hummer -- an American Excess Story
Patt Morrison

August 18, 2004

On the very day last week that the price of a barrel of crude oil was higher than it has ever been in the history of crude oil barrels, I was — choose one:

(a) Bankrolling terrorism.

(b) Exercising my God-given American right to make free choices, even moronic ones.

(c) Raping the planet.

(d) Being a road hog.

(e) All of the above.

The answer is (e). I was driving an H2 — junior heir of the original war-wagon Humvee. California, naturally, has more Hummers than any other state — more than 3,000, and that was before Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Hummer's designated driver, ran for governor and even more guys ran out to imitate him.<snip>

The Hummer doesn't have to play by the other guys' rules because it's so heavy that it falls into a category meant for big equipment for farmers and such. A condo-dwelling salesman buying a 3-ton-plus Hummer for his job can get a tax credit up to $100,000. (A hybrid-car purchaser like me gets $1,500.) In the same incredible-hulk tax-credit category are those other well-known pieces of farm equipment, the Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Suburban and Lincoln Navigator.

Any wheeled behemoth over 4.5 tons — the "gross vehicle weight rating" of the H2 — is exempt from pollution emissions, another perk meant for heavy machinery. Its very size lets it dodge the gas-guzzler tax on sedans half its size and twice its mpg.

And because it doesn't have to post its mpg numbers, you have to rent one to do the math. Mine got, at a stretch, maybe 10 miles per gallon on roads and freeways, without running the AC. <snip>

[joefree1]

1. Penis extension, give it the pinkie salute

Here's a pinkie salute I gave to a Hummer driving rethug going to a Bush appearance in Santa Monica, CA, last week.



People should be free to drive what they want, just like we should be able to salute them for their choice.



Images of the Bush Protest in Santa Monica, August 12, 2004
http://www.ediablo.com/BushProtest8-12-04.html

[One_Life_To_Give]

2. Pollution Exemption?

Any wheeled behemoth over 4.5 tons — the "gross vehicle weight rating" of the H2 — is exempt from pollution emissions, another perk meant for heavy machinery. Its very size lets it dodge the gas-guzzler tax on sedans half its size and twice its mpg.

Which regulations are exempted at 9000lbs?
I tghiught the category shifts were around 6,500Lbs for light truck, 10,000 for medium truck

[papau]

3. MPG rules do not apply

:-)

[One_Life_To_Give]

4. 49CFR

Title 49CFR
32901 3
A) not more than 6,000 pounds gross vehicle weight; or

(B) more than 6,000, but less than 10,000, pounds gross vehicle weight, if the Secretary decides by regulation that--

A Vehical of 9000lbs GVW max is classified as a light truck under CAFE. It has the requirement of 20.7MPG Corp. Avg. unless otherwise exempted.

[papau]

5. So it is not weight based???? - interesting - they do not disclosed MPG

so they must have an exemption somewhere.

I believe emissions are also exempt.

But nice catch... :-)

[happyslug]

6. It is Weight based, but not just the Weight of the Vehicle

But based on the MAXIMUM weight its MAKER claims it can weigh FULLY LOADED (i.e. the total of the VEHICLE, Driver, Passengers and materials stored in the Vehicle).

That is what the term GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT means.