Unexpected PHEV perk in PA

  • Thread starter Thread starter MikeB
  • Start date Start date
  • Replies Replies 8
  • Views Views 3K
MikeB

MikeB

Member
Pennsylvania peeps - if you live Philadelphia, Pittsburgh or Southcentral regions of PA, you will be interested in what I learned today after taking my Clarity in for first service, including state inspection. For the emissions part of the state inspection (required in some parts of the state), PHEVs along with BEVs are exempt from emissions inspection. In true Pennsylvania form, this exception only applies in a subset of the subset of areas where emissions inspection is required and is complicated in other ways too: https://www.dmv.org/pa-pennsylvania/green-driver-state-incentives.php
And also... exempt does not mean you get off scot-free. You pay half of the usual cost of emission inspection to get the special "exempt" emission inspection sticker. Pennsylvania - Land of Giants. In the glass is half full department, this was another and unexpected little perk of owning the Clarity.
 
I wondered how inspection stations would test emissions on a PHEV. We could charge it before the test so the engine would probably not run. Is there a run the engine mode for emissions? I live in NY and I think I only saw my previous cars running on a dyno once for an emissions test. Are these obsolete or only required once in n years?
 
kcsunshine said:
I wondered how inspection stations would test emissions on a PHEV. We could charge it before the test so the engine would probably not run. Is there a run the engine mode for emissions? I live in NY and I think I only saw my previous cars running on a dyno once for an emissions test. Are these obsolete or only required once in n years?
Click to expand...
Varies by region/county, but I'm not sure dyno required for any of them: https://sites.google.com/site/paemissionsinspection/
I also wondered how they would do it before the dealer figured out they didn't have to do it (no indication they knew that when I dropped the car off, I'm pretty sure they discovered it out while in process of servicing my car). To do a tailpipe test, would they run it in HV mode or partly in EV and partly in HV to simulate real world conditions or ........? Perhaps this is why the state decided to make PHEVs exempt.
 
The state website says "Some areas also exempt all non-gasoline powered vehicles from emissions testing and vehicles driven less than 5,000 miles in the previous year. These include the Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and South Central regions. The Northern region exempts non-gasoline powered vehicles, but not vehicles driven less than 5,000 miles per year. If you live in a county that does not fall within the above-listed regions, refer to Drive Clean Pennsylvania's section on Other Counties." Do PHEVs qualify as non-gasoline powered? Not according to my Honda dealer, though they could be wrong.
 
At least you do save some money. Half price is better than full.

Here in Seattle, ev and phev with 30+ miles range pays $100 more on registration. As compensation of not burning gas and not paying road tax which is part of gas price.
 
kcsunshine said:
Is there a run the engine mode for emissions?
Click to expand...
Yes. There is a sequence of button pushing that will cause the engine to run.
1. Push start button twice WITHOUT touching brake to turn ignition on and Park symbol lights up in red.
2. Press brake, pump gas pedal to floor twice and release.
3. Press brake, shift to neutral.
4. Release brake, pump gas pedal twice.
5. Press brake, shift to Park.
6. Release brake, pump gas pedal twice. Dash will now say "maintenance mode."
7. Press brake, push start button once. Engine will start and idle.

To cancel this "mode", power off the car.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top