Poll Respondents Support Gas-Guzzler Tax 2-to-1

Month-long Internet survey shows strong support for tax proposal to fund rebates on fuel-efficient cars

(PRWEB) August 14, 2004 -- When the French environment ministry recently proposed slapping a 3,500 Euros ($4,275.00) tax on buyers of large, gas-guzzlers, the reaction from conservative politicians and luxury car makers was predictable. The objective of the proposal was to not only discourage the purchase of vehicles that emit large amounts of carbon dioxide and smog-forming pollutants but also to use the proceeds to fund tax rebates of between 300-700 Euros ($365-855) to buyers of smaller, cleaner, more fuel-efficient cars. Despite its good intentions, the government corked the plan.

EVWorld.Com, a leading Internet publication on advanced transportation technologies, recently conducted a month-long survey of its readers asking them, "Would you favor the government taxing gas-guzzlers and using the revenues to fund rebates on smaller, cleaner, more fuel-efficient vehicles?"

By a margin of more than 2-to-1, readers indicated they would support such a policy. Between July 1 and August 1, 2004, 1688 readers responded to the question. 68 percent (1141) answered "yes", while 30 percent (511) indicated "no". Two percent said they "don't know".

While the results of EV World's survey are no considered scientific and reflect the personal views of readers who are interested in electric-drive and other alternative vehicle technologies, they do suggest that among this group of early adopters, there is strong support for such a policy. "EV" is an industry acronym for "electric vehicle."

Published weekly since 1998, EV World features original content on a wide range of topics related to advanced, alternative fuel technologies from the latest in battery, hybrid-electric and fuel cell vehicles to renewable energy progress and policy. The publication has interviewed such notables as General Wesley Clark, former CIA director James Woolsey and "Hype About Hydrogen" author Joseph Romm. Interviews are available on the EVWorld.Com web site in both text and MP3 audio format. On average, more than 85,000 visitors download in excess of 250,000 pages of information every week, making it one of the top web sites of its type on the Internet.

While premium content is available to subscribers only, much of the site, including daily news updates and archived interviews and feature stories, are available free to all readers. EV World conducts monthly reader polls with this month's question being, "John Kerry is proposing making the USA energy independent from Middle East oil. Do you believe American energy independence is an achievable goal?" The final results of the poll will be made public in early September.

EV World's publisher and editor is available to answer questions regarding this poll and on trends relevant to sustainable transportation and renewable energy technology and policies.

Media contact person:
Bill Moore
Publisher
EV World
402 339 9877