Author Topic: What no new Hybrid for the UK?  (Read 4214 times)

csp

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What no new Hybrid for the UK?
« on: July 23, 2015, 09:58:32 AM »
The article in Autocar seems to imply that the New Jazz Hybrid will not be available in the UK because of the cost of importing it, but I thought that the current Hybrid was made in Japan anyway.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/2015-honda-jazz-prices-start-%C2%A313495?page=2

John Ratsey

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Re: What no new Hybrid for the UK?
« Reply #1 on: July 23, 2015, 03:18:16 PM »
I wouldn't be surprised if the recent announcement of the proposed change of vehicle tax effective 1st April 2017 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vehicle-excise-duty/vehicle-excise-duty put the brakes on Honda's plans for a new hybrid in the UK (I don't think the old one sold very well). In fact, I expect this tax change is going to substantially reduce people's incentives to buy, and hence manufacturers to make, more efficient vehicles. I also expect that Honda would struggle to get the new hybrid's CO2 emission below the 75g/km needed for the London congestion charge exemption (somewhat of a niche market). I am planning to buy my next vehicle before 1st April 2017.

It appears that a version of the new Jazz has CO2 emissions of 106 g/km which is very close to the existing Hybrid's 104g/km (I'm still surprised that Honda didn't put more effort into getting it below the 100 threshold).

The other possible selling reason for a hybrid configuration is improved performance, with the motor working alongside the engine. The powertrain I would have been working on would be to combine a 3 cylinder turbo engine with an upgraded IMA. The electric motor would, among other things, cover the turbo lag. However, dropping in a 1.5 litre engine would probably achieve most of the benefits at lower purchase cost.
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RichardA

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Re: What no new Hybrid for the UK?
« Reply #2 on: July 24, 2015, 01:45:35 PM »
Why are the tax changes starting on the 1st April 2017? Why not align the changes with the 1st March plate change, that way any 17 plate would be under the new tax rates. Simple.

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emmerdale

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Re: What no new Hybrid for the UK?
« Reply #3 on: July 24, 2015, 02:15:20 PM »
As you say Simple but not if you are in government,to them nothing is that simple,just look at doing away with paper license even that system had to be changed after a few days.

culzean

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Re: What no new Hybrid for the UK?
« Reply #4 on: July 24, 2015, 02:29:25 PM »
Why are the tax changes starting on the 1st April 2017? Why not align the changes with the 1st March plate change, that way any 17 plate would be under the new tax rates. Simple.

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http://www.taxadvisorypartnership.com/tax-compliance/why-does-the-uk-tax-year-start-on-6-april-each-year/
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John Ratsey

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Re: What no new Hybrid for the UK?
« Reply #5 on: July 24, 2015, 03:29:28 PM »
Why are the tax changes starting on the 1st April 2017? Why not align the changes with the 1st March plate change, that way any 17 plate would be under the new tax rates. Simple.
Perhaps, given that so many vehicles are registered in March, a way to effectively give manufacturers and purchasers an extra year. The new EU testing is meant to be effective September 2017 http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/feb/03/car-makers-face-real-world-emissions-tests-in-eu-pollution-clampdown which might move the goalposts again. Greater attention to the non-CO2 diesel emissions is overdue given their impact on air quality.
 
However, the EU still has some longer term targets for emissions reductions http://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/transport/vehicles/cars/index_en.htm whichmight force manufacturers to have low CO2 models in their range (but it's not clear to me whether their overall range CO2 is based on number of models or actual sales).
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culzean

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Re: What no new Hybrid for the UK?
« Reply #6 on: July 24, 2015, 09:08:17 PM »
For decades EU policy makers have pushed Diesels in Europe as 'Low CO2' and focused almost entirely on the "benefits" of low Co2 on the highly questionable 'global warming' (or is it climate change now) 'problem'. (By the way in spite predicted 'acceleration'  of global warming,  last year Arctic sea ice grew by over 40% and is 'back to normal' now).  Value of existing diesel cars is set to plummet just as cost of cleaning up of new diesel engines is going to become a major cost for manufacturers (and therefore buyers).

They conveniently ignored the proven health implication of high nitrous oxide and particulate output of Diesels (well known and absolutely obvious to anyone who has ever followed a diesel vehicle) http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/motors/is-d-day-looming-for-diesel-fuelled-cars-1.2062893
 despite the fact that Americans and Japanese knew the pitfalls of Diesel and they were never popular in those countries (or Australia either, when we lived there Diesel cars  were as rare as Emu teeth). Unlike Co2 which occurs naturally in nature the majority of Nitrous oxide on the planet is man made, it is produced in soil by action of bacteria on artificial nitrogen fertilisers and Diesel vehicles, it is a greenhouse gas and when exposed to sunlight breaks down into all kinds of nasty stuff.  Hybrid petrol engines would seem to be the safest option,  Honda stayed away from Diesels for a long time because of lack of market in USA and Japan, their biggest markets.

In June 2012, the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer raised diesel exhaust from “Group 2 “ – “probably carcinogenic to humans,” to Group 1, “carcinogenic to humans.” This classified diesel emissions worse than those from gasoline engines, and ranked it alongside compounds including plutonium, radium, arsenic, and asbestos.

One key reason why air pollution kills 400,000 citizens annually is that car-makers cheat the tests for diesel cars, causing many times more pollution on the road,” said Greg Archer, the clean vehicles manager for Transport and Environment. “The development of a new real-world driving emission test is an important step forward to tackling urban air pollution. EU states should now support the Commission’s proposals and ignore the whinging from European car-makers that the rules are too tough.”

According to research by the International Council on Clean Transportation last year, actual nitrogen oxide emissions from cars are seven times higher than the 80mg/km standard, with some models running at 22 times above the recommended limit. Only one car out of 16 met the 80g target.

Around one third of all nitrogen oxide pollution comes from road transport – mostly diesel - and in urban areas concentrations can rise as high as 64%, European Environment Agency figures indicate.
« Last Edit: July 26, 2015, 09:20:36 PM by culzean »
Some people will only consider you an expert if they agree with your point of view or advice,  when you give them advice they don't like they consider you an idiot

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