Oregon governor outlines climate change agenda

By JOSEPH B. FRAZIER – 13 hours ago

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Oregon's governor unwrapped an ambitious 2009 legislative climate change package with proposals for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions for homes and buildings by 2030, with benchmarks to be sure the goal is reached.

Gov. Ted Kulongoski also wants to replace the $1,500 tax credit on hybrid vehicles with a $5,000 credit on all-electric cars and to fund energy efficiency for 800 low-income homes a year.

Oregon already is the highest per-capita user of hybrid cars in the nation, he said Monday, and the tax credit could be better used on promoting all-electric vehicles.

Kulongoski said Oregon can be an important point of entry for such cars and that he will make that point on a trip to China and Japan next month.

He said his plan to cap and trade greenhouse gas emissions by utilities and industries in Oregon would go into effect in 2012 to allow time to make sure it is fair and workable.

While Kulongoski almost certainly will have a Democratic House and Senate likely to lean toward his goals, one leading Republican on Monday urged caution, though he commended some aspects of the climate change agenda.

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Consumer Reports: Hybrids Are Very Reliable

Hybrid cars outscored other vehicle segments for reliability, according to the Consumer Reports Annual Car Reliability Survey, released on Thursday. Nine hybrid models were included in the survey of 1.4 million subscribers of Consumer Report. All the hybrids earned above-average predicted-reliability ratings.

Some consumers have expressed concerns about reliability of hybrid batteries and other components. "We haven't actually seen that," said David Champion, senior director of Consumer Reports' Auto Test Division. "They all get better reliability than their regular counterparts. They seem to be very reliable."

Consumer Reports also found that non-hybrid gas-sippers such as the Honda Fit, Scion xD, Smart ForTwo, and Toyota Yaris had few problems. Ford scored well for domestic car companies, but the top 10 most-reliable brands sold in America are all owned by Asian automakers.

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China seen as potential electric car hub

By Braden Reddall

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The head of Johnson Controls Inc's battery unit believes China could adopt electric cars faster than elsewhere because of its size and comparative lack of reliance on gasoline for transport.

Alex Molinaroli, president of the Power Solutions unit, said China's government would likely lead the way through policy to provide vehicles to the many among the country's 1.3 billion people who now rely on bicycles and scooters.

"The next step up from that is going to be some sort of vehicle, (but) it may not be a vehicle that would be acceptable in both Western Europe and the U.S.," Molinaroli told the Reuters Global Environment Summit on Tuesday.

"They can't go everywhere on a bicycle, and they all can't afford a $20,000 to $30,000 vehicle, but they have to move people around."

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