Comments on: The Toyota Prius vs. the Georgia Emissions Test

By: sean

sean — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 02:29:08 +0000

I agree w/ Lon T.
The procedures were written before the era of hybrids. How can you test an idling vehicle if it does not idle? Or the tester can just say "Prius consumes zero liter of gas / 100 miles idling". It's that simple.

By: Lon Toontwister

Lon Toontwister — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 21:10:12 +0000

This is not a real problem, is it?

But this is a perfect example of results obtained when we put morons in charge of anything.

Inasmuch as much of the polution problem is produced by idling vehicles, how about a really simple two-step test that should work for any car including the Prius. Step 1 - Set the car to idle. If the car idles, perform the usual test. TEST COMPLETE. Step 2 - If the car does not idle, it does not cause the major polution problem. Therefore the idle test is not required. Perform the rest of the tests normally.

Voila!

By: qqRockyBeans

qqRockyBeans — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 05:40:17 +0000

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN A PRIUS
and I have never driven one

Theoretically this should work, but I don't guarantee anything:

Try and do a burnout on the Prius! Smoking the tires and racing the engine should make the car drain the battery faster than the regen can recharge it, creating a net effect of losing juice. Then, get the battery charge down in the range of 2-5% (but NOT ZERO!!) I think it has a battery meter but I don't know. Turn the AC to MAX, play with the windows, turn the radio up all the way, and use all the electric accessories to help you get the charge down.

**** DO NOT LET THE BATTERY GET DOWN TO 0% CHARGE ******
that will completely kill the battery and cost thousands to replace!!!

**** DO NOT LET THE BATTERY GET DOWN TO 0% CHARGE ******

Anyway, once the battery is discharged, that should force the car to idle for awhile until the battery can recharge. I don't know exactly how long this will last, but it should work long enough to pass the test.

Good luck!!!
but I still can't believe that Georgia's emissions test would be tougher than California's!!

By: Grimey

Grimey — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 20:18:39 +0000

Emissions testing for a Prius… what a scam. Why don’t they just reach into your pocket and take the money they want, and we can forget about this dog and pony show.

By: DaveM

DaveM — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 14:11:45 +0000

In maryland the hybrid “bonus” is never having to do emissions tests.

By: Gmavin

Gmavin — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 05:11:38 +0000

Isn’t the first time goverment blames it on the computer, I call it human interferance. G.E.Fassauer

By: Alan Boyle

Alan Boyle — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 22:32:16 +0000

The issue lies in the fact that there must have been an oversight at Toyota. If the Prius is the ONLY car that can’t communicate with the equipment at emission stations then that means Toyota never bothered to check system compatibility.

By: Stan Smart

Stan Smart — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 17:49:03 +0000

Another example of why the US
is becoming second-rate!

These bumbling ploliticos can't
even think logically. No wonder
we can't get any respect...

By: Tim

Tim — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 16:18:23 +0000

That’s what you get living in Georgia! I would just move…

By: Jim Hull

Jim Hull — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 15:16:13 +0000

Sounds like the problem is with the government testing(typical),and not the car.