Both the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight are exempt from the mandatory emissions testing in Maryland. Surprisingly, the Honda Civic Hybrid did not qualify for this exemption. The state decided that only hybrid vehicles with an EPA rating of at least 50 mpg in the city would be exempt, and unfortunately, the Civic came up short (48[auto] and 46[manual]). However, not surprisingly, the Chevy Silverado "Hybrid" and the GMC Sierra "Hybrid" also don't qualify. Maryland Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program Hybrid Vehicles Qualified for Exemption
I have to wonder why any state would try to do emissions checking on a Prius. (We're exempt in WA, too.) I mean, the work and cost of educating the testing people on how to do an accurate read of the emissions... Plus, for a car with the engine off some of the time -- what's a meaningful reading?
That is a little ridiculous. The number of miles you can go on a gallon of whatever you burn is not directly indicative of the emissions per gallon burned. The 2005 HCH has a rating of 4.00 tons per year (in the "clean air" states), a 2005 Prius: 3.50 tons. "Best" is 3.1, "worst" is 15.3. By comparison, a Matrix puts out 5.90 tons.
Rick, I sure wouldn't mind using the HOV lanes, especially in the evening. Unfortunately, things are not progressing very well in the Maryland House and Senate. House Bill 30 Senate Bill 97 Maybe we will have a better chance if the Energy Bill ever gets passed by the US Congress.
