I don't thinks so, but read this article and you will find out why not all news that's printed is fit.<br><br>Bush's credits for hybrids hailed, details wanted <br><br>Updated 5:07 PM ET May 17, 2001 <br>By Justin Hyde<br>DETROIT (Reuters) - Environmentalists and the auto industry welcomed President Bush's plan Thursday for a set of tax credits to promote high-tech vehicles that offer large gains in fuel efficiency.<br><br>But there was some wariness on both sides, which want more details about the size and scope of any credits for cars and trucks powered by fuel cells and gas-electric hybrid engines. Automakers want the credits to apply to the widest variety of designs, while some environmentalists want credits tied directly to fuel economy improvements.<br><br>The credits "get to what (the federal fuel economy standard) doesn't get at, namely the demand side." said Tim McCarthy, president of the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers, a trade group of foreign automakers. "It's one thing if you provide the supply, but it's another thing if people won't buy them."<br><br>President Bush's plan provides $4 billion for consumer tax credits between 2002 and 2007. Some bills in Congress would set up similar incentives.<br><br>Two automakers, Honda Motor Co. Ltd. and Toyota Motor Corp., already offer hybrid cars, which combine a gas engine with an electric motor and a battery pack to increase fuel efficiency. The two-seat Honda Insight gets 70 miles per gallon at highway speeds -- the highest fuel efficiency of any car sold in the United States.<br><br>While hybrids have been held out as one of the most promising ways to improve fuel economy, current hybrid cars carry a severe price penalty, and sales have been held to about 17,000 a year. The Toyota Prius hybrid is based on the Toyota Echo compact, but costs about $5,400 more with similar options. Even at $2 a gallon for gas, a driver who puts 15,000 miles on the Prius a year would have to own the Prius 22 years to make up the difference.<br><br>General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and the Chrysler side of DaimlerChrysler AG have all committed to offering hybrids in 2003, but have said production will be limited due to the high cost and uncertainty about their popularity. Their first vehicles will be either trucks or sport utility vehicles, which offer greater potential fuel savings over small cars.<br><br>Environmentalists said the credits would help drive demand, but said improving the fuel economy of all vehicles was still the top priority.<br><br>"Tax incentives are in no way a substitute," said Therese Langer, transportation program director for the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy. "They are a promotional measure which would help meet a stricter (fuel economy) standard."

WOW!! Where does the media come up with people like this?? I'll concede that they look alike (prius and echo) Cant please 'em can we?!?!

I was at a press event with the Designer of Prius (he is part of the US design studio in Newport Beach, CALTY) someone suggested Prius looked like Echo and he nearly ripped their head off. These artistic types are so excitable. He then went on very patiently to explain where and how Prius styling was better than Echo. Note Echo was not designed in the US. Prius is a unique platform sharing no parts with Echo.<br><br>Dave

Re: Prius is a unique platform sharing no parts with Echo.<br><br>So how come the New Car Features manual shows the Prius 1NZ-FXE engine as a slight modification to the Echo's 1NZ-FE engine? The different cams for Atkinson timing seem to be the only physical difference (quite a bit of software difference, however).<br><br>Did you really just mean no body trim parts are shared, or have I been grossly misreading this? Correct me now before I misrepresent again :-)<br><br>Robert Snyder<br>NJ-PIKACHU

Now now,<br><br>The Echo has a higher-revving, more powerful 1NZ FXE ICE. (I'm starting to feel like I work for the gov't!)<br><br>I'm sure it has "real" piston rings and valve springs to handle the higher RRRRR's.<br><br>Jeff (and mebbe a tach, I forget...just sat in one to gauge the interior room, in the days b-4 Prius demonstrator vehicles)

ee of ee, better tell the designer he's been hanging around the focus and echo too much before he 'designed' the Prius.<br><br>I have had more than one person approach me thinking the car was a focus. The guy said he was REALLY glad he hadn't bought the dark green one after seeing how the dirt showed on ours. I agree, and it doesn't matter how often we wash it, we wouldn't buy that color again. Our first choice was the light green.<br><br>When we went to the dealer to pick up our Prius, we said, oh there it is...and it turned out that was an echo.<br><br>Even now the only way we easily identify the two is the side vent or dash if really close.

I agree that the Prius DOES look like the Echo and Focus. When I see "that front end", first look at the antenna - Echo's is on the side not middle, second, if the antenna is in the middle look for the Ford symbol on the front grille. That's the only way I could look quick enough to tell the difference at highway speeds. <br> Saw 3 Prius and an Insight within a 5 mile stretch here in Bloomington. Bet that has not happened at any other place in southern Indiana -- ever. Wahoo!!!!

Another sometimes-clue is the rear spoiler. All Priuses have them; only some Echos have them. But I agree that the center-mount antenna is the real giveaway.<br><br>Burns

To tell Echo from Prius from the front, I just look at the "mouth". Prius has an overbite from the top teeth, while Echo has rodent teeth (top and bottom). The Focus front isn't rounded like the Prius and Echo, although when it has a spoiler it's rear is very similar to Prius. The Focus doesn't have teeth either.<br><br>Robert Snyder<br>NJ-PIKACHU (wait a minute, Pikachu is a Japanese electric mouse, why didn't Prius get the rodent teeth? :-)

Robert,<br><br>Sorry for the confusion, in the sub-dialect spoken in the auto industry, the platform is the chassis and floor pan. Some platforms spawn various bodies and often several plartforms share powertrain components. Prius is the only body built on the Prius platform. The engine is a derivative of the 1NZ also used in the Echo, Yaris and Vitz. For the Prius application the crank, pistons, head, cams, etc are all different, but it does share the 1.5 l block.<br><br>Dave

Better check first production dates. Prius pre-dates Echo and Focus. Remember it was on sale in Japan before coming to NA. Maybe the designer should sue for artistic infringement?<br><br>Dave

Here's proof that Prius precedes the Echo and Focus. Let's give the designers at CALTY credit<br>for their innovative work. Also the engineers at TTC in Ann Arbor and Nagoya.<br><br><a href=http://www.anim8.com/prius/Contacts/press_japan.html target=new>http://www.anim8.com/prius/Contacts/press_japan.html</a>