As predicted earlier, we don't qualify to drive a Prius in the HOV lane. Here's the response from the Air Resources Board<br>Subject: AB 71<br><br><br>Thank you very much for your recent message to the Air Resources Board (ARB) regarding Hybrid vehicles. The hybrid vehicles currently offered for sale in California do not meet the requirements of AB71, the bill that allows some single-occupant vehicles to use the state's HOV lanes. The bill, authored by Assemblyman Jim Cunneen, lists eligible vehicles as those <br>that have been certified to both the ARB?s Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) standard or better, AND the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (U.S. EPA) Inherently Low Emission Vehicle (ILEV) standard. While the ARB?s ULEV standard encompasses many vehicles that run on gasoline, the U.S. EPA?s ILEV standard effectively eliminates any gasoline vehicle from eligibility under AB71. The stringent ILEV standard limits AB71?s eligibility for single-occupant use of the states 250 miles of HOV lanes to electric vehicles or those that run on compressed natural gas or liquid petroleum gas (propane). <br><br>While the hybrid vehicles currently offered in California are very clean vehicles they do fall short of the EVs and alternative fuel vehicles in several key areas and are not eligible for single occupant HOV lane use. Even when counting power plant emissions, ZEVs offer significant reductions over hybrids and these emission rates improve over time due to the fact that hybrids produce more emissions as they age. In addition gasoline powered vehicles have large emissions contributions due to the "upstream" pollution of refineries and fuel distribution. In addition evaporative emissions of fuel stored on board gasoline vehicles also make significant pollution contributions. <br><br>Currently, there are more than 210,000 ULEV vehicles on the road in California and the number grows every month. These ULEVs range in size from sub-compacts to large SUVs. The ULEV standards, like all ARB requirements, are performance based. That is, they are fuel and technology neutral with alternative fuels receiving no special advantage over gasoline cars ? every vehicle, no matter what its fuel, must meet the same emissions standards. This approach has resulted in gasoline vehicles achieving very low emissions levels ? <br>levels thought to be impossible just a few years ago. The Honda Insight meets this standard, and while it is very fuel efficient, its emissions are no better than these other ULEV vehicles. <br><br>Vehicles currently meeting the ARB?s Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV) <br>standard offer extremely low emissions, the lowest for any gasoline-powered vehicles. And while the Prius meets this standard, its emission contribution is also no better than any of the gasoline powered vehicles certified to this standard. <br><br>ULEV and SULEV vehicles also meeting the U.S. EPA ILEV standard can best be <br>described as the "cleanest of the clean", being surpassed only by zero emission pure electric vehicles. In other words, while both ULEV and SULEV have very low tailpipe emissions, only those vehicles meeting the additional requirements of the ILEV standard offer significant <br>additional lifetime emission reductions and are eligible for the incentive offered by AB 71. <br><br>Thank you again for your message, and should you have any questions or need additional assistance please feel free to contact me at the above e-mail address or at 800-242-4450. <br><br>Sincerely, <br><br>James M. Gittelson <br>Assistant Information Officer <br>California Air Resources Board

I'm stumped as to why so many Prius enthusiasts want to drive ALONE through the carpool lane. What's the point? All you have to do is pickup two riders and you can use the lane!<br><br>For me, zooming my Subaru full of humans past the 'parking lot' of single occupant SUVs waiting at the toll plaza is the best part of my morning commute. Not necessarily because I'm saving money or time, but because I'm doing the right thing.<br><br>My dilemmas. I live at 1200ft atop the Berkeley hills and need to see how well the Prius zooms up the steep hill every day. Also, I'm an admitted weekend warrior and totally attached to the Legacy's performance in snow and hazardous conditions. Can I do without...<br><br>Last question. Anybody know how the MPG fares with a full vehicle?<br><br>So back to the dealership to see if their floor unit is available, or out missing again for another 2 hour "test drive". ;)<br><br>../D

&gt;&gt;For me, zooming my Subaru full of humans...<br><br>This reminds me of the endearing quote, "Let them eat cake". Some of us can't fill our cars with humans on demand. The extra time and energy, ours and the Earth's, that's required for carpooling may defeat the whole purpose in many cases.<br><br>I think people are mainly upset with the unfairness. If a less clean car qualifies why not the Prius?<br><br>By the way, the full load on the Prius is 800 lbs. This may be important for your comparison.

"In addition gasoline powered vehicles have large emissions contributions due to the "upstream" pollution of refineries and fuel distribution. In addition evaporative emissions of fuel stored on board gasoline vehicles also make significant pollution contributions."<br><br>As a former resident of Riverside, and a current resident of NJ, I find THIS paragraph amusing, at best. For years we've been told that the vast majority of the smog hanging over our houses is caused, not by vehicle emissions, but by coal-burning electricity generating plants in the midwest, which are not subject to the stringent air quality rules that the refineries in both CA & NJ are bound by.<br><br>So, how much 'cleaner' is coal-derived electricity than refinery-derived gasoline?<br><br>Beth

I don't know why others want to be able to drive alone in the HOV lanes, but for me it is mostly a matter of equity. <br><br>To my memory, riding "solo" in the HOV lanes has never been based strictly on emissions and fuel consumption. If it were, I would have been cruising along with the solo motorcyclists in my Chevy Sprint ER and Geo Metro (I have a thing about cars getting at least 50 MPG). I've worked out of my car for years as a Field Engineer and carpooling was never an option. It used to torque me when a lower MPG, higher emissions motorcyle passed me in the "Carpool" lane. <br><br>I've always favored an "Eco-ratio" for HOV lanes based on energy efficiency and tail pipe emissions per rider. "Sorry sir, but you need 5 people in the Excursion to drive in the HOV lane."<br><br>WaltR

&gt;I've always favored an "Eco-ratio" for HOV lanes<br>&gt;based on energy efficiency and tail<br>&gt;pipe emissions per rider. "Sorry sir, but you<br>&gt;need 5 people in the Excursion to drive in<br>&gt;the HOV lane."<br><br>OK, lets say you have four adults in a Ford Expedition (very reasonable.. they are huge inside). The SUV is 2WD and has the base 4.6l engine. The are crusing along the uncongested HOV lane and are getting the EPA Highway mileage (20 mpg).<br><br>So if you took apart the carpool, to break even (from a C02 - fuel consumption perspective) they would each need to drive 80mpg cars (not even the tiny Honda insight can do that). Also four small vehicles cause alot more traffic problems that one large vehicle.<br><br>Mass transit (carpooling -&gt; buses -&gt; metro) always wins.

CA Prius owners & owners-to-be might be interested in the following reply I received from the Union of Concerned Scientists about CA's HOV (car pool) lanes. Some of this info has been previously expressed in this forum, but I think there is some new info here, too.<br><br>The key "write your congressperson" phrase is "If you want to contact folks in Sacramento,<br>though, the message should be to expand AB71 to include SULEVs, especially hybrid SULEVs." (see below)<br><br>