Environment Minister & Mayor Hail Alberta's First Hybrid Cab

06/06/2006

Alberta Environment Minister Guy Boutilier and Calgary Mayor Dave Bronconnier took the first ride in an Alberta hybrid taxi today. Their ride helped launch Hail a Hybrid, a Climate Change Central pilot program that encourages Calgary and Edmonton cab drivers to switch to fuel-saving, environmentally-friendly hybrid vehicles.

"Alberta is already known as the energy capital of Canada," said Boutilier, "but thanks to initiatives like Hail a Hybrid, we are well on our way to being recognized as the environmental capital of North America."

Under the pilot program, up to four cab drivers in each of Calgary and Edmonton will receive a $5,000 incentive for purchasing a hybrid taxi. To help demonstrate the economic viability of hybrids, these taxis will then be monitored for such things as fuel economy, operating and repair costs, reliability and cold weather performance.

"I am pleased that two Calgary taxi drivers are signed up already for the program," says Bronconnier. "Their participation provides an excellent demonstration to both taxi drivers and passengers of the benefits with a hybrid cab to use less fuel and reduce pollution."

The taxi industry is a significant source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and air pollution, with vehicles tending to be full-sized cars (with V6 and V8 engines) that travel more than 100,000 kilometres per year. Switching to a hybrid would reduce annual GHG emissions by 12 tonnes for a hybrid Ford Escape.

It would also cut annual fuel bills by some $5,000 for Escape owners. Indeed, one Vancouver cab driver paid for his 2004 Prius in less than two years through savings on fuel, parts, service and labour; the vehicle has logged more than 400,000 kilometres, with no hybrid component failures.

"With their high mileage and stop-and-go city driving, taxis are the perfect economic and environmental candidate for hybrids," says Simon Knight, acting president and CEO of Climate Change Central. "We're confident this pilot program will help convince taxi companies and drivers to switch more and more cabs to hybrids."

Climate Change Central is a private-public partnership established as a catalyst for and coordinator of activities by individuals, businesses, institutions and governments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Alberta.