• House Bill 61 - "Qualified Hybrid Vehicles - Exemption from Motor Vehicle Emissions Test and Inspection Requirements,"enacted by the 2003 Maryland General Assembly provides that hybrid vehicles obtaining a rating from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of at least 50 miles per gallon (mpg) during city fuel economy tests are exempt from testing under the Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program (VEIP).  The HB 61 exemption was valid through September 30, 2006.

• House Bill 367, passed in the 2005 Maryland General Assembly session, extended the qualified hybrid exemption for hybrid vehicles obtianing a rating from the EPA of at least 50 miles per gallon (mpg) during city fuel economy tests through September 30, 2009.

• Senate Bill 103 - "Maryland Clean Cars Act of 2007", passed in the 2007 Maryland General Assembly session, contained two provisions concerning hybrid vehicles:
   

• • Extended the qualified hybrid exemption for hybrid vehicles obtaining a rating from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of at least 50 miles per gallon (mpg) during dity fuel economy tests through September 30, 2012.

  • After September 30, 2012 a qualified hybrid vehicle is not required to submit toa first exhaust emissions test and emissions equipment and misfueling inspection under the VEIP until 3 years after the date on which the vehicle was first registered in the State.

• As a result of the provisions of the Maryland legislation:
   
• • The Honda Insight and the Toyota Prius manufactured prior to the 2008 model year are exempt from the VEIP by virtue of a city fuel economy rating of at least 50 miles per gallon.
  • Beginning with the 2008 model year, the EPA made changes in the testing procedures for calculating a vehicle's fuel economy rating.  As a result, no 2009 model year hybrid vehicles meet the fuel economy requirements for exemption from the Maryland Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program.
  • The following hybrid vehicles are not exempt from the VEIP because their city fuel economy rating is less than 50 miles per gallon.

Cadillac Escalade

Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid

Chevrolet Malibu

Chevrolet Tahoe

Honda Accord Hybrid

Honda Civic Hybrid

Ford Escape

GMC Sierra Hybrid

GMC Yukon

Lexus RX 400h

Lexus GS 450h

Lexus LS 600h

Mazda Tribute

Mercury Mariner

Nissan Altima

Saturn Aura

Saturn Vue (Green Line Model)

Toyota Camry

Toyota Highlander (both 2WD and 4WD models)

Toyota Prius (model year 2008 and later)

The EPA and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) jointly produce the annual Fuel Economy Guide, which is available at www.fueleconomy.gov.  The attached chart presents the fuel economy ratings for hybrid vehicles.

U.S.Environmental Protection Agency Fuel Economy Ratings
Hybrid Electric Vehicles
2000-2009