WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Internal Revenue Service has acknowledged the certification by American Honda Motor Company, Inc. that two of its vehicles powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) meet the requirements of the Alterative Motor Vehicle Credit enacted by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct), reports infoZine. The certification meets the requirements of IRS Notice 2006-54, qualifying the vehicles as Qualified Alternative Fuel Motor Vehicles (QAFMV), and applies to the Honda Civic GX model years 2005 and 2006, which are dedicated CNG vehicles. The vehicle certifications and their credit amounts recently acknowledged by the IRS are for the Honda Civic GX model year 2005 ($4,000) and the Honda Civic GX model year 2006 ($4,000).

The qualified Alternative Fuel Motor Vehicle Credit was enacted by the EPAct as part of the Alternative Motor Vehicle Credit, and includes separate credits for four distinct categories of vehicles: (1) fuel cell vehicles, (2) advanced lean burn technology vehicles, (3) hybrid vehicles, and (4) alternative fuel vehicles. The EPAct has been the subject of litigation in recent years, with environmentalists successfully suing the Bush administration for failure to enforce provisions requiring government fleets to purchase alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) when replacing or expanding vehicle fleets, the report said.

Until recently, the Honda vehicles were primarily sold to fleets. Notice 2006-54 provides procedures for manufactures to certify vehicles as Qualified Alternative Fuel Motor Vehicles. Notice 2006-9 provides procedures for manufacturers to certify vehicles as Qualified Hybrid Vehicles.