Hybrid Sales Increase, but Some Eco-Drivers Are Disappointed

SEE ALSO All Hybrid Models Sold In North America

Washington DC April 23, 2013; The AIADA newsletter reported that demand for hybrid and battery-operated cars may be increasing – the Toyota Prius accounted for 3.1 percent of the total U.S. new car market last year – but that doesn’t mean car buyers are trading in their eco-cars for another “green” model.

NBCNews.com reports that only about one in three hybrid owners buy another gas-electric model when they trade in. Not that demand for eco-cars has waned: Green car buying set an all-time record in 2012.

Sales of the ever-popular Toyota Prius increased 49 percent year-over-year from the 2.2 percent market share in 2011. But demand continues to lag proponents’ expectations.

It appears all but certain that the Obama administration’s goal of having one million plug-ins or BEVs on the road by the end of 2014 won’t happen. Pricing and range limitations remain critical factors. One reason appears to be the ongoing gap between the mileage that manufacturers claim and reality on the road. That has led the EPA – which oversees fuel economy testing – to revise its ratings process several times over the past decade.

Further revisions are now under discussion. Read more about what’s fueling today’s hybrid auto market here.