2000 Hyundai Accent L Hatchback 3-door 1.5l on 2040-cars

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US Congress lets $8,000 hydrogen vehicle tax credit expire

When Toyota introduced the 2016 Mirai last month in preparation for a launch late next year, it said that the hydrogen car will have a $57,500 MSRP and that there will be a federal tax credit available worth up to $8,000. The problem, as we noted at the time, is that that federal credit was set to expire at the end of 2014. The technical language of the current rule says that someone who buys a fuel cell vehicle, "may claim a credit for the certified amount for a fuel cell vehicle if it is placed in service by the taxpayer after Dec. 31, 2005, and is purchased on or before Dec. 31, 2014." With the 113th Congress now finished up for the year and legislators headed home for the holidays, we know one thing for certain: the federal tax credit for hydrogen vehicles was not updated and will end as we're all singing Auld Lang Syne next week. All of this isn't to say that Mirai buyers won't be able to take $8,000 off the price of the car 12 months from now. For proof of that, we only need to look at other alternative fuel tax incentives and realize that this Congress simply isn't moving fast enough to deal with things that are expiring right now. One of the last things that the 113th Congress did in December was to take up the tax credits that expired at the end of 2013 and renew some of them. Jay Friedland, Plug In America's senior policy advisor, told AutoblogGreen that PIA and other likeminded organizations worked with Congress to extended the electronic vehicle charging station (technically: EVSE) tax credit that was part of the Alternative Refueling Tax Credit in IRS Section 30(C) through the end of 2014. "Individuals can deduct 30 percent of the cost of purchasing and installing an EVSE up to $1,000; businesses, 30 percent up to $30,000," he said. "This tax credit is applied to any system placed into service by 12/31/14 and is retroactive to the beginning of the year. So go out and buy your favorite EV driver an EVSE for the holidays," he said. An electric motorcycle credit was killed at the last minute as Congress was getting ready to leave, but H.R. 5771 did extend the Alternative Fuels Excise Tax Credits for liquefied hydrogen and other alternative fuels. These sorts of tax credit battles happen all year long. In July, Blumenthal introduced the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Infrastructure Act of 2014, which never got out of the Finance Committee. Back to the hydrogen vehicle situation.

Hyundai and Kia to hit record 8M sales for 2014

Hyundai and Kia are on a sales charge in 2014, and parent company Hyundai Motor Group is increasing projections to a record eight million combined units for the automakers by the end of the year – a bump over the original target of 7.86 million vehicles. According to Bloomberg, the key to the growth is beating expectations in Brazil, China and India, and strong crossover sales are also helping the bottom line. In the US, both automakers are doing well this year. In October, Hyundai saw a six percent dip in monthly sales, but through the first 10 months it sold 607,539 vehicles, compared to 601,773 at this point last year. Kia has done even better with 489,711 units sold from January to October, versus 456,137 for the period in 2013. The good news is a welcome antidote to negative headlines like investors' anger over Hyundai's $10 billion land purchase in Seoul, South Korea. The two automakers also had to pay a $300 million penalty to the Environmental Protection Agency for misstating fuel economy on some models. While sales may reach a new record, profits might not grow as much with them. The strong Korean won means that Hyundai and Kia have a tougher time keeping up profit margins compared to Japanese competitors with a weaker yen.

Hyundai i20 gets Active for Frankfurt

Hyundai has a raft of new debuts to showcase at the Frankfurt Motor Show this month, and what's caught our eye here is the new i20 Active. It's a more rugged version of the supermini hatchback that replaced the Getz in 2008. Now in its second generation, the i20 is already offered in three- and five-door guises, and is now expanding even further with the introduction of this pseudo-crossover soft-roader. The new Hyundai i20 Active is based on the five-door model, but offers the better part of an inch more ground clearance thanks to a revised suspension. It also benefits from skid plates under the front and back, beefed-up wheel arches, and a higher seating position. All of which promise to make the little hatchback feel just a little bit better prepared to venture off the beaten path – or at least the smooth pavement. European buyers will be able to choose between a 1.0-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine in two states of tune that will now be introduced across the i20 range. The more efficient of the two produces 99 horsepower, while a slightly more potent version offers 118 hp. The new i20 Active will be featured on Hyundai's show stand alongside the new Santa Fe, the Vision G concept we saw in Monterey, and the N 2025 Vision Gran Turismo concept that's slated to launch the company's new N performance sub-brand. HYUNDAI MOTOR INTRODUCES TWO NEW MODELS TO YOUNGEST-EVER RANGE - New i20 Active and New Santa Fe enhance crossover and SUV range - New i40 introduces Android Auto in Europe - Vision G concept car shows inspiration for future premium products At the Frankfurt International Motor Show 2015 Hyundai Motor is showcasing the passion of its brand, with new models, visionary concept cars and innovative technologies. The New i20 Active and New Santa Fe both premiere on the Hyundai stand, joining the company's youngest-ever line-up in Europe, with all models being less than two years old. The Android Auto smartphone mirroring technology debuts in the New i40, placing Hyundai among the first in Europe to offer this feature. The company's passion for design is presented in the Vision G coupe concept car, making its motor show debut, offering a glimpse of Hyundai's design evolution and future premium products. Passion for performance is envisioned through the new Hyundai N sub-brand and exciting concept cars such as N 2025 Vision Gran Turismo.