The number of hybrid vehicles per household in the Washington region is double the national average, according to a new vehicle census released Wednesday by the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board.
The data shows for the first time the effect of HOV privileges in Northern Virginia, which has more than twice the numberof hybrids per household than Maryland and D.C. combined.
And at 14.8 hybrids per 1,000 households, Prince William County leads the region in hybrid ownership rates, followed by Loudoun County with 10.75 and Fairfax County with 10.45. The District came in at 3.66 and Montgomery County had 5.13 hybrids per 1,000 households. Prince George’s County has the lowest number per household with 1.31, the study showed.
The national average is just above three hybrids per 1,000 households, officials said.
The Electric Drive Transportation Association ranks the Washington region with California among the hottest markets for hybrids.
Fairfax and Prince William counties both abut the Interstate 95/395 corridor, where hybrid owners are exempt from the three-passenger rule for high-occupancy vehicle lanes during rush hours. A study of carpool lanes late last year found the number of hybrids nearly quadrupled since 2004 as technology of the electric-gasoline vehicles improved, with more than 22 percent of cars in HOV lanes being hybrids.
The recent success of the exemption, which actually began in 1994, drew frustration from carpool advocates, prompting Virginia transportation officials to try to limit the number of hybrids allowed in the HOV lanes.
Gov. Tim Kaine recently signed legislation allowing only hybrids purchased and registered before June 30 to use HOV lanes on I-95/395. Cars registered after that date will not be able to use the carpool lanes.
