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Not a bad fad

Not a bad fad rising petroleum prices have pushed consumers in the us towards eco-friendly hybrid vehicles that combine petroleum and battery powered electric motors. The registration of these vehicles in the country witnessed a 25.8 per cent increase from 2002 last year at 43,435. The Honda Civic hybrid accounted for 50 per cent of all registrations at 21,750. Toyota Prius, which got 47 per cent of the market share, registered 20,387 vehicles, while Honda Insight sold the remaining three per cent, according to the R L Polk & Company, which collects and interprets automotive information.

The government also promotes the sale of hybrid vehicles. Many states have devised tax break plans to give a boost to the technology. Currently, there is a Federal Tax Deduction of us $1,500 for the purchase of a qualifying hybrid. Connecticut, Colorado, New York, Maryland, Oregon and Pennsylvania provide additional incentives. California registered the maximum number of such vehicles at 11,425, followed by Virginia at 3,376, Florida at 1,196 and Washington at 1,172. Virginia has even allowed the use of High Occupancy Vehicle Lane

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