You've probably seen it a hundred times in the last year. Some talking head on TV saying that if automakers only made more fuel efficient cars, the public would buy them. Really? The 2008 sales numbers are in, and the draw of fuel efficiency doesn't seem to be holding up in the face of lower gas prices.
Our own Green Car Advisor, John O'Dell, looked through the final sales numbers for hybrids in 2008 and it was clear that their green sheen had definitely worn thin.
Among his various findings:
- Prius sales dropped 50% from July to December with average prices going from $5,000 over sticker to $2,000 under sticker.
- the biggest percentage drop for a single model was the Lexus GS450h, down 59.3% for the year.
- although limited in its availability, the Nissan Altima Hybrid was the only model to post a sales gain for the year as it was up 5.2%.
Full details on Green Car Advisor
Subscribe
Recent Posts
Archives
Manufacturers
Auto Shows
More Categories
Links
"if automakers only made more fuel efficient cars..."
Fuel efficient car sales went up/staved off the recession (Focus +13%, Civic +2%, Corolla -6%, Cobalt -6%, Sentra -6%, Mazda3 -9%).
EXPENSIVE fuel efficient car sales didn't go up (hybrid cars).
NON-fuel efficient car sales didn't go up (GS450h).
GS350: 0-60 in 5.7s, 19/26/22 mpg, 3795lb, $44,800
GS450h: 0-60 in 5.2s, 22/25/23 mpg, 4134lb, $56,400
You can't have a round smooth muscle car. Muscle cars go in straight lines but can't turn and can't stop. Muscle car lovers like their cars square brutish crudely built with molding flashings all over and exposed uncovered metal inside the cabin.
A smooth soft touchy feely muscle car just doesn't fly. It just doesn't.
Despite greenies insisting that hybrids will save the planet, in this time of recession people would rather save money on the actual car than pay thousands more to save a little more on 1.50 gas.
Gas prices are rising. It'll change. We're over $2 a gallon again - and hope, hope - we'll be over $4 again in no time (lots of energy stocks).
Since CARB madated that 2% of all cars sold in CA be electrically powered, perhaps a federal mandate of 5% hybrids should be mandated.
I agree that it's the high price that is holding back Hybrid sales against a larger trend of people buying more efficient vehicles.
So I disagree Ed. If automakers build fuel efficient cars buyers WILL buy them. They just can't expect to charge a large premium for them during a recession.
"Since CARB madated that 2% of all cars sold in CA be electrically powered, perhaps a federal mandate of 5% hybrids should be mandated."
How about no.
" "Since CARB madated that 2% of all cars sold in CA be electrically powered, perhaps a federal mandate of 5% hybrids should be mandated."
How about no. "
I hear ye -- how about absolutely, positively, definitely, most assuredly NOT? It is not the government's business, nor role to dictate what people should buy. Are we not losing enough of our freedoms daily to a bunch of bureaucrats in Washington and faceless agencies run by people who think they know better? The federal government is not our daddy or mommy, and shouldn't be attempting even half the things they're doing. Apparently, a great many people are ignorant of the principles outlined in our constitution. What we give away to the state, we will never get back, and sets the precedent for even more government control and less personal liberty.
If and when people want to buy hybrids, electric, and/or diesel vehicles, they'll buy them when they make sense for their needs and wants. If you think buying SUVs is a dumb choice, then so what? When the government runs more of the car companies, even more than they already do, a wide variety of individual choices is one of the first things that will start evaporating.
Thank you.