Buying a Motorcycle or Scooter Will Be Cheaper Beginning Today
Buying a motorcycle or scooter will be cheaper today, due to a reduction of taxes from 15% to 10%, the government is impulsing the purchase of the two wheel transportation in the face of high and rising gasoline prices.

In real terms, the decrease in the tax will mean a reduction of the purchase price from between ¢15.000 and ¢60.000 colones at the retail level.

Allan Ching, an executive at the Dirección de Energía del Ministerio de Ambiente (Energy and Environment department) explained that the reduction will be only on vehicles that are four stroke - engines that do not required an oil mix - and 250cc or lower, not important of the make or origin of manufacture.

Ching added that the motorcycles with engines larger than 250cc are not included in the tax reduction policy as they are considered luxury items.

In addition, "Hybrid" vehicles will also be cheaper as today, as the tax on those vehicles will be reduced form 30% to 15%. The tax reduction was by an executive order and according to Ching it can only be raised again by a new law.

Ching explained that two stroke engines - those engines that require a mix of oil added to the gasoline - were not included in the selective tax reduction because they cause higher contamination. A two stroke engine is the one that produces a regular cloud of heavy blue smoke on acceleration, while a non-mix engine is cleaner and quieter.

As to Hybrid vehicles, Ching explained that there are only two models available in Costa Rica and each cost more than us$15.000 dollars. The executive added that importers who want to benefit by the reduced tax on Hybrids will need to meet MINAE requirements, which Ching says will take only one week to process.


What is a Hybrid?
A Hybrid vehicle uses multiple propulsion systems to provide motive power. This most commonly refers to gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles, which use gasoline or diesel to power internal-combustion engines (ICEs), and electric batteries to power electric motors.

Modern mass-produced hybrids, such as the Toyota Prius, recharge their batteries by capturing kinetic energy via regenerative braking. As well, when cruising or in other situations where just light thrust is needed, "full" hybrids such as the Prius can use the combustion engine to generate electricity by spinning a generator (often a second electric motor) to either recharge the battery or directly feed power to an electric motor that drives the vehicle.

This contrasts with all-electric cars which use batteries charged by an external source such as the grid, or a range extending trailer.

Nearly all hybrids still require gasoline and diesel as their sole fuel source though other fuels such as ethanol or plant based oils have also seen occasional use.

The term hybrid when used in relation with cars also has other uses.

Prior to its modern meaning of hybrid propulsion, the word hybrid was used in the United States to mean a vehicle of mixed national origin; generally, a European car fitted with American mechanical components. This meaning has fallen out of use.


Honda Civic Hybrid


Toyota Prius, a hybrid gas-electric vehicle