Hybrid cars head into carpool lane

Under the new transportation bill, solo drivers in hybrid cars will be able to utilize the carpool lane.

At this time; however, according to a story in the LATimes, it is not certain which hybrid vehicles will qualify for the carpool lane. In places like California, the carpool lane was intended for hybrid vehicles because of their reduced emissions, not just because of fuel efficiency.

"The air emission standards are very important," said California Assemblywoman Fran Pavley on Friday. "We wouldn't want a hybrid that gets 45 miles a gallon but has higher emissions to be out there. It's more important to encourage those cars to operate at the cleanest emission levels."

Thus, in California, legislators are waiting for clarification from the EPA, as language in the current transportation bill isn't clear regarding qualifying hybrids.

Contrary to many hybrid critics, the issue of the car pool lane isn't just about fuel efficiency, in fact, in states like California it is about air quality, not fuel economy.

Thus, some hybrids might not qualify. Still, it seems that the EPA will probably qualify any vehicle that meets clean vehicle tax exemption. Under that legislation, even hybrid SUVs, such as the Toyota Highlander hybrid and the Ford Escape hybrid would qualify, not just small hybrids, such as the Toyota Prius or Honda Civic hybrid.