Hybrid cars picking up speed - Haaretz

Subscribe to Print Edition

Mon., December 10, 2007 Tevet 1, 5768

Israel Time: 02:05 (EST+7)

web haaretz.com

Back to Homepage

Rosner's Domain

Diplomacy

Defense

Jewish World

Opinion

National

Print Edition

Advertising

Books

Arts & Leisure

Business

Real Estate

Easy Start

Travel

Week's End

Anglo File

Hanukkah

del.icio.us

Digg It! new

Hybrid cars picking up speed

By Daniel Shmiel

Tags: Toyota, hybrid cars, Israel

At the end of a year that saw the Nobel Peace Prize go to an environmentalist, it is interesting to see that reducing air pollution has become a fashion in the Israeli car market.

Figures for hybrid vehicles in the first 11 months show a big rise in their popularity: 1,719 hybrids were sold. This is almost 1 percent of the total number of new cars sold this year, a 280 percent increase from 2006.

Toyota has sold 1,091 Priuses through November, compared with only 454 for all of last year: a 140 percent increase. The Honda Civic IMA had a very successful introduction this year: 620 have been sold, 300 of which were sold in the last month. Most, however, went to leasing companies and Avis. In addition, eight luxury Lexus RX400h SUVs have been sold so far in 2007.

	Advertisement

The hybrids have two engines - one electric and one internal combustion. The principle is to use the non-polluting electric engine as much as possible, which also increases gas mileage.

Dror Goralnik, Toyota's sales manager in Israel, says the growth in hybrid sales points to an increasing awareness of environmental issues. "For many people it is important to drive an environmentally friendly car," he says.

Honda also credits its success to its advertising campaign, as the hybrid car has become a fashion statement, showing drivers to be worried about the pollution they emits.

A number of high-tech companies such as Cisco have offered their employees the choice of a hybrid as a company car. Knesset members can also choose a hybrid, though there have not been many takers. Only MK Zevulun Orlev, the head of the National Religious Party, has chosen a hybrid over the bigger and more prestigious cars offered to MKs.

The car importers are optimistic about next year, too. Toyota's Goralnik expects unit sales of the Prius to be between 1,500 and 2,000. But this does not mean that these cars will displace gasoline-powered ones soon. The main reason seems to be the price. The difference between the regular, gasoline Civic and the hybrid is NIS 18,000: NIS 133,000 compared with NIS 151,000.

Hybrids are also less attractive to businesses because they are in the higher, Group 4 tax bracket, while most of the competing gasoline-powered cars are in Group 2. This means an extra NIS 450 a month in taxable income. Hybrids enjoy a break on purchase tax, but this does not seem to be enough, and future changes may reduce the advantage.

Bookmark to del.icio.us


	Bigotry prevails
	Haaretz.com TV: A new study shows a rise in racism against Israel's Arabs.


	High and dry
	Hamas seizes hundreds of pounds of marijuana in Gaza - and burns it in public.

Today Online


	Olmert: Israel will work to expose Iran's nuclear program
	Responses: 259


	Civil rights group: Israel has reached new heights of racism
	Responses: 223


	U.K. Jews fear Labour scandal bred 'Jewish conspiracy' theories
	Responses: 60


	Gideon Levy: Bring Israeli war criminals to justice - even abroad
	Responses: 145


	Rabbi Hartman: Israeli Arabs must not be expected to accept a Jewish state
	Responses: 91

More Headlines
22:03 PM: Israel will work to expose Iran nuclear program


23:33 Absorption Ministry seeks to bring back Israelis living abroad


17:48 Defense Min.: Israel now world's fourth largest weapons exporter


01:13 Analysis: Hanukkah outpost construction is an unsuccessful gimmick


01:45 Stem cell discovery involving Israeli helps cure anemic mice


23:30 Religious party leader: Same-sex families undermine Judaism


20:25 Vice PM Ramon: Parts of J'lem must be given to Palestinians


01:11 Settlers march to build new outpost beneath Beitar flag


23:43 PM meets with teachers' head for first time since beginning of strike