Taurus LX with Clean Fuel Plates in HOV

There is a silver Taurus LX with the following clean fuel plate (2417CF) in the I-395 HOV lanes.

(1.) Is a Taurus LX a clean fuel car?

(2.) How do I report to DMV about violations of use of clean fuel plates?

(3.) Where is the list of approved clean fuel cars for Virginia?

Thanks!

http://www.dmv.state.va.us/webdoc/citizen/vehicles/cleanspecialfuel.asp

I can already see the HOV becoming useless. Maybe they should change the name since it isn't necessary to have at least 3 passanger anymore.

What is a converted vehicle?

A: A converted vehicle is one that was originally designed to operate on gasoline but has been altered to run on an alternative fuel such as compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), also commonly referred to as propane, the two most common types of fuel conversions.

Some conversion systems are designed to run on either an alternative fuel or conventional gasoline. These bi-fuel systems are advantageous for drivers who do not always have access to an alternative fuel refueling station.

Dual-fuel systems are designed to run on combinations of an alternative fuel with gasoline. Unlike bi-fuel vehicles, which allow the use of only one fuel at a time, dual-fuel systems inject both fuels into the combustion chamber at the same time. Dual-fuel systems are used mostly in heavy-duty or diesel engines, while bi-fuel systems are usually used in passenger cars or trucks.

Dedicated conversion systems run on only one fuel. Generally, dedicated vehicles have improved emissions performance because they are tuned to optimize operations on only one fuel.

Open-loop conversion systems are used in older model-year vehicles that do not have computerized fuel control systems. Open-loop systems do not provide optimum emissions performance and are slowly becoming obsolete as older cars are taken out of service. Newer closed-loop systems provide optimum emissions performance by carefully controlling the fuel/air mixture to the engine. Closed-loop systems are, therefore, preferable to open-loop. These systems carefully control the air/fuel ratio in the engine to optimize emissions performance, whereas an open-loop system is throttle regulated and does not allow for optimal emissions performance.

More than 30,000 CNG vehicles and 300,000 LPG vehicles are in use today in the United States, according to estimates by the American Gas Association and the National Propane Gas Association.

Q: How much will it cost to convert my car?

A: CNG conversion kits cost anywhere from $2,500 to $4,000; LPG kits cost about $1,500-$2,000. Closed loop conversions are generally more expensive than open-loop systems. The number of tanks used is also a cost factor.

To help offset the cost, the federal government has set up financial incentives for individuals converting their own vehicles and companies converting fleets. Under the National Energy Policy Act of 1992 (P.L. 102-486), a person or business can take a tax deduction for up to $2,000 for a passenger vehicle and up to $50,000 for a heavy-duty truck.

Q: Is it legal to convert my vehicle?

A: Federal tampering provisions under Section 203 of the Clean Air Act explain that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is concerned with emissions effects created by altering or modifying motor vehicles from their original certified configuration.



PC

One thing to remember, also, is that FEDERAL law allows the exemption for CNG and propane vehicles (don't know if there are any other types), so the controversy about the Virginia law on hybrids is a separate issue.

I have colleagues who bought CNG-powered vehicles for this purpose. One of them has done a ton of research and has found that, under the law as literally written, a bi-fuel vehicle does not qualify for the CF license plate because the law says that the vehicle must run exclusively on the clean fuel. Think about what a bonanza it would be for people otherwise--you buy the bi-fuel car, get your CF plate, and then never run it on the clean fuel. Obviously an abuse to be avoided.