Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Automakers win: Canada dropping ecoAUTO rebate program]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/02/automakers-win-canada-dropping-ecoauto-rebate-program/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/02/automakers-win-canada-dropping-ecoauto-rebate-program/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/02/automakers-win-canada-dropping-ecoauto-rebate-program/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


After a controversial two-year run, the Canadian government has announced their ecoAUTO rebate program will be ended next year. The ecoAUTO plan offered a $1000 to $2000 CDN rebate to owners of new cars that consumed gas at a rate less than 6.5 l/100 km. Although the ambitious plan sounded like an excellent way to reward drivers of frugal transportation, the mathematical line in the sand snuffed those whose vehicles were still very efficient, yet just under the threshold.

One of the most vocal protests came from Honda. Unfortunately for them, their Canadian-market Fit was "unfit" for the rebate, yet the competing Toyota Yaris was approved. It didn't take long for the Japanese automaker to call out the Ottawa government in protest. Honda took their message public, and even offered their own version of the rebate to match the government's offer.

To mend the wounds of this green-rebate-gone-awry, the Canadian government has pledged $250 million to the auto industry for the development and research of environmentally-friendly technologies.

[Source: Autoblog Green]

Automakers win: Canada dropping ecoAUTO rebate program originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 02 Mar 2008 18:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CanadaecoAUTOGreenHonda FitHondaFitrebateToyota YarisToyotaYarisSun, 02 Mar 2008 18:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Canada's eco-Auto program backfiring, pickup sales increase]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/21/canadas-eco-auto-program-backfiring-pickup-sales-increase/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/21/canadas-eco-auto-program-backfiring-pickup-sales-increase/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/21/canadas-eco-auto-program-backfiring-pickup-sales-increase/#commentsFiled under: ,



A new program to urge Canadian drivers to downsize to more fuel-efficient vehicles from large gas-guzzling SUVs has had the unwarranted effect of lifting sales of pickup trucks. The new ecoAUTO Rebate Program offers a rebate ranging from $1,000 to $2,000 for people who pick up certain fuel-efficient vehicle, but slaps a $4,000 excise tax on fuel-heavy SUVs and sports cars.

Of course, there are many out there who are forced to use heavy pickups for their businesses, so to appease them, the Government exempted the excise on pickups. According to research released by DesRosiers Automotive Consultants, the program has been driving up sales of new pickup trucks since its introduction in March as a result. New car-buyers who previously wanted an SUV are now switching to pickup models. Take Ford's Ranger, sales are up 18% for the first seven months of the year, and that trucklet ain't exactly a spring chicken.

Things aren't expected to change anytime soon because the Government isn't about to admit it made a mistake. Now, where have we heard this before?

[Source: The Truth About Cars]

Canada's eco-Auto program backfiring, pickup sales increase originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 Aug 2007 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CanadaecoAutoecoAuto programEcoautoProgrampickuppickupstrucktrucksTue, 21 Aug 2007 10:28:00 EST<![CDATA[By Jove, they've done it! Honda adds a few more MPGs to Canadian Fit]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/24/by-jove-theyve-done-it-honda-adds-a-few-more-mpgs-to-canadian/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/24/by-jove-theyve-done-it-honda-adds-a-few-more-mpgs-to-canadian/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/24/by-jove-theyve-done-it-honda-adds-a-few-more-mpgs-to-canadian/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Autoblog regulars will remember the ongoing feud between Honda Canada and the Canadian government. The conflict centers around Ottawa's new budget that contains the ecoAuto program, which offers between $1,000 and $2,500 rebates on certain fuel efficient vehicles and up to a $4,000 penalty on gas guzzlers. The Honda Fit, which is very popular in Canada, missed the cutoff for being eligible for a rebate because it consumes 6.6L of fuel every 100 kilometers, just one tenth of a liter more than the federal criteria for the rebate. The Civic misses the mark, however, by one-third to a half liter every 100 kilometers.

Honda threw a fit at what it saw as a federal endorsement of fuel economy over safety, as well as the unfair advantage it gave to competitors like the Toyota Yaris, which did qualify for the rebate but performed less well in crash tests. Honda even went so far as to offer its own $1,000 rebate on the Fit in protest.

In the meantime, Honda engineers have been going over the Fit to eek out a few more miles per gallon, and they've done it on the Fit equipped with a manual transmission. While confirming that they did not reduce the vehicles weight by deleting safety options to achieve the fuel savings, Honda was mum on exactly how it was achieved except to say "internal tinkering" was involved.

Unfortunately, it doesn't look they'll be able to perform the same miracle with the Fit that's equipped with an automatic, though in Canada the manual Fit sells more anyway. The Civic, which is less fuel-efficient than either Fit, has pretty much no hope of ever meeting the governments criteria for the rebate.

Thanks for the tip, Steve!

[Source: The Star]

By Jove, they've done it! Honda adds a few more MPGs to Canadian Fit originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Jul 2007 16:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>budgetCivicecoAutoFitHondaHonda CivicHonda FitHondaCivicHondaFitOttawarebateTue, 24 Jul 2007 16:18:00 EST<![CDATA[Nasty Fit: Honda calls out Ottawa government over federal rebate]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/18/nasty-fit-honda-calls-out-ottawa-government-over-federal-rebate/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/18/nasty-fit-honda-calls-out-ottawa-government-over-federal-rebate/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/18/nasty-fit-honda-calls-out-ottawa-government-over-federal-rebate/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



The Canadian province of Ottawa government is learning the hard way that one does not mess with Honda Canada. We reported last month that the automaker was irritated its Fit just missed qualifying for a federal ecoAUTO rebate of $1,000 CDN that was established to promote the purchase of fuel efficient cars. The rebate applies to new cars that use less than 6.5 liters of gas for every 100 kilometers driven. The Honda Fit uses 6.6 liters/100km, which means shoppers who purchase a Fit aren't eligible for the $1,000 rebate. Honda claims it designed the Fit to be both safe and environmentally responsible, and refuses to sacrifice one attribute for the other.

One of the Fit's direct competitors, the Toyota Yaris, consumes 6.4 liters/100km, and is thus eligible for the rebate. As such, according to this report, Toyota is practically the only automaker in Canada not upset about the federal rebate program that officially began on March 19th. Perhaps that's because sales of the Yaris in Canada grew by 15% in April, the first full month the rebate was offered. Sales of most its competitors that weren't eligible for the rebate reportedly fell, some by double digits.

Though it has voiced its concerns to Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, Honda is stepping out and fighting back. The company has bought ad space in newspapers across Canada and is publishing an open letter that criticizes the Canadian government's rebate program. If any Canadian reader finds the ad, we'd love to know everything that's said, but one quote from Honda president Hiroshi Kobayashi will be, "At Honda, we offer pride of ownership because we do not sacrifice safety for the environment." Honda is also offering its own $1,000 rebate on the Fit to match the government's offer, even making it retroactive for those who purchased a Fit all the way back to March 19th.

You hear that? It's Honda's Kobayashi saying, "Eat it, Flaherty!"

Thanks for the tip, Rob!

[Souce: The Globe and Mail]

Nasty Fit: Honda calls out Ottawa government over federal rebate originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 May 2007 14:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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