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Are US Hybrid Sales Peaking Already?
cartechboy (2660665) writes The Toyota Prius is pretty darn popular, especially in California. One might think that hybrid sales are on the rise as gas prices continue to fluctuate, but it seems hybrid sales in the U.S. might be peaking. Researchers at IHS Automotive found that U.S. hybrid sales haven't kept pace with the rest of the market. In the automotive world, conventional wisdom states that adding a model to a brand or segment will increase sales--but that hasn't happened with hybrids. The number of hybrid offerings has almost doubled from 24 in 2009 to 47 in 2014--but U.S. hybrid sales haven't dramatically increased. In fact, hybrid market share actually declined from 2009 to 2010, and then again from 2013 to 2014. So if consumers aren't buying hybrids, what are they buying? It seems some hybrid early adopters are now switching to plug-in hybrids or electric cars stating that these models are just nicer to drive.
Are they peaking because nobody wants them, or because nobody wants to make them?
When I can but a Toyota Matrix for half the price, get twice the cargo space and still get 38 mpg. I think consumers are realizing that hybrids are just a clever way for automakers to tax people who suck at math. Meanwhile the air in Beijing is still chewable so the saving the planet crowd might be weakening too.
It was inevitable: Peak Hybrid had to happen. It's getting more and more difficult to extract crude hybrid from the lower levels of the tax code, which makes it more expensive to dole out. And, they're running out of room in the Whole Foods parking lot, where things are getting real, man.
Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
of hybrid owners would buy a second. Maybe that's why it's peaking.
Hybrids will always be at least a fmall fraction of the economic realities of the automotive industry. Most notably:
1. Perception - Does this car add any perceived benefit to myself (smug factor)
2. Gas - Higher gas prices will influnce total cost of ownership (TCO), and for those who bother to calculate it, a rise / reduction in fuel costs should factor into demand
3. Electricity - When you pug in at home, your home electrical costs rise, so in order to maintain TCO benefits, electrical costs should rise slower than gasoline
4. Economies of scale - Producing significant portions of EV's should theoretically improve the unit cost to produce them, and ultimately allow for prices to drop improving TCO
5. Subsidies - TCO +/-
6. Resource scarcity - EV in large scales are generally a new concept for most of the world, so its taxing demand on more materials that classical auto's haven't which drives up price
If in 10 years the TCO of EV's were 1/10th of traditional gas burners, we'd be looking back and say just how quaint that ol' gas technology really was. That said, there'd be a lot more world shifting things to consider if petrolium was no longer a significant driver as an energy source.
Bye!
The number of new-car buyers is relatively inelastic. What you're seeing is the number of buyers that are willing to pay a premium for a hybrid over a vehicle with a conventional transmission.
Some buyers of hybrids actually want 100% electric cars. The hybrid was settling. Now that there are some 100% electrics, those buyers won't buy another hybrid.
Some buyers can only afford the cheapest car or only want to afford the cheapest car with the most fuel economy, and often that's a subcompact with a small four-cylinder engine and highway differential gearing, and in many instances that car gets as good fuel economy as a hybrid of of the next size-class up.
Lastly, hybrids often are equipped with more options or luxury options, which pushes up the price.
If you want hybrids to sell more, make them cheaper to buy, and sell them based on their fuel economy as the feature, not simply that they're a hybrid. That'll help attract buyers that want to avoid the dreaded "H word", and could get subcompact economy buyers to consider hybrids.
I'd personally like an all-electric, but I don't want a goofy looking car in the process. I want something like a modern Dart or 200 with a full-electric drivertrain, like the setup used in the Fiat 500e. But since Marchionnie doesn't even want to sell the 500e and is only doing so because California's laws require it, I doubt we'll see a Dart-electric or 200e anytime soon.
Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
We paid extra to rent a Prius went we went out West a few years ago. Don't recall which model year it was, 2007 or 2008 I think but could be wrong there. Either way I came away less than impressed. Strike One for me is anything with an automatic transmission, which makes me a relic I suppose, but there it is. The weird issue was with the seemingly hesitant throttle. There were times (turning left in front of oncoming traffic) where I stomped the gas and it seemed as though the computer had to stop and think, "Hmm.... electric, gas, or both?" and the car barely moved. Once it got going it had ample pick-up, for an automatic, but that 1-2 second delay took a lot of getting used to.
After a week of driving that thing I came away with the feeling that I would never own one. To be sure, there were some really neat things about it, like the dead silence when cruising at low speeds on the electric drive. Other than the throttle delay it handled as well as any mid-priced car I've driven. The build quality was nice and about what you'd expect in the price range. The gas mileage was a lot less impressive than what I was expecting, though the large proportion of highway miles and my penchant for speeding in wide open spaces (did you know the Prius will happily cruise at 110mph?) doubtless had something to do with that. Frankly if most of your driving is highway I don't see the point, my $17,000 non-hybrid Honda Civic is competitive with the Prius when it comes to highway driving.... I can milk 43-44mpg out of my Civic without trying that hard, and that's despite living in a hilly region.
I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
Except it means that while the people who were buying hybrids are now buying pure-electric vehicles, the people who weren't buying hybrids, still aren't buying hybrids. That means that the number of people who stopped buying ordinary gas vehicles has peaked.
The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted. James Madison
There was something on public radio a few years talking about hybrids and more specifically the Prius. It mentioned that people specifically wanted Prius's and it in general was not due to the Prius being the most economical and efficient hybrid but because it was a Prius, much in the same way people purchased a BMW because it's a BMW.
So... people aren't buying hybrids because they're buying plug-in hybrids or pure-electric vehicles?
Isn't that GOOD news?
What a strange post.
The way I understood it, hybrids were meant as a bridge between gasoline powered cars and electric cars. Especially with Tesla's recent decision on releasing its patents, we'll only see more electric cars. So hybrids will eventually go by the wayside anyway.
"What the American public doesn't know is what makes them the American public." -Ray Zalinsky (Tommy Boy)
I switched from Hybrid to Diesel.
(2010 Honda Insight to 2014 VW Golf TDI).
They're popular in Europe, and I guess finally starting to get a little more popular in the US now. This year Mazda is introducing a Diesel in the US for the first time (I think) with the Mazda 6 SkyActiv-D.
My "gas guzzler" of a 1995 Impala that I bought with 6000 miles on the odometer three years ago costs me less in loan+fuel than a new car with three times the fuel economy would in loan+fuel.
I am certainly in favor of increasing the fuel economy of new vehicles. On the other hand, I believe that it makes sense to use equipment until it's reached the end of its lifespan. If that six year old Escalade is paid-off, then operating it will probably still cost less than buying a new vehicle, even at three times the fuel economy.
Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
A slight dip does not mean failure.
With the coming $4.50+/gallon gas coming this summer due to the combination of Ukrain and Iraq (plus screw you, we're big oil) I think you'll see sales jump up again. I wonder how many of the folks that bought pickups this spring (the big jump in US auto sales was mostly in the light truck and SUV segment) will be wishing they had bought something with a bit better fuel economy?
There are 4 boxes to use in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, ammo. Use in that order. Starting now.
The way I understood it, hybrids were meant as a bridge between gasoline powered cars and electric cars. Especially with Tesla's recent decision on releasing its patents, we'll only see more electric cars. So hybrids will eventually go by the wayside anyway.
Indeed. The problem with a 'standard' hybrid is that it's still purely powered by gasoline. You go to a 'strong' hybrid or outright EV with a battery pack large enough and set up for charging from the wall you can actually enjoy the lower 'fuel' price of electricity. Battery pack prices aren't dropping like a rock, but they are on a strong decline, such that the weak hybrid battery pack of a decade ago was more expensive than the strong battery packs of today.
If you can chop half your fuel bill by spending roughly $2k to get a car with a plug on it, why wouldn't you? That's roughly $1.6k for a larger battery and $400 for the charging system. At ~$200 per kwh, that's an extra 8 kwh or ~24 miles of range. Remember, hybrid. That's enough to increase the pure EV range to 30-40 miles, which will cover 'most' commutes, and gas station visits to less than once a month in most cases.
I don't read AC A human right
I got me a 350Z convertible.
When you don't drive many miles, fuel efficiency is moot. Fun factor is not.
I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
Except it means that while the people who were buying hybrids are now buying pure-electric vehicles
The article states this as a conjecture. There is no actual reason to believe that many people buying electrics are ex-hybrid-owners.
That means that the number of people who stopped buying ordinary gas vehicles has peaked.
I don't see how this conclusion follows from your premise. This would only be true if the total sales of (hybrids + electrics) has also peaked, and it hasn't.
I think the explanation is much simpler: Non-plugin hybrids don't make sense. They still burn fossil fuel, and are far more expensive than a turbo diesel that gets even better mileage. So people are switching to plugin hybrids or pure electrics.
It's still not a "problem", though - since CAFE standards have really kicked in and average sedan mileage starts to approach hybrid mileage. Fleet mileage is the only important number, and a Prius-sized "regular" car is all the way up to around 37 MPG this coming year. Every year, the incentive to go hybrid gets weaker as the CAFE standards get tighter.
W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
The reason Prius owners aren't buying new hybrids: because their Priuses are still running great. Mine is ten years old and runs as well as a brand new one.
I'm waiting for a model that is all-electric, won't require a $10,000 battery replacement after ten years (or ever, preferably), has over a 300 mile range when being driven aggressively with the A/C and/or heater running and the audio system blasting, is or can-switch-to 4WD with significant ground clearance, can carry significant cargo preferably in a pickup truck format with an extended cab or perhaps a roomy SUV format, and costs somewhere under 50k.
First trigger would be ultracaps or some other transformative storage tech (presuming no transformative on-board generation tech arrives first or otherwise). Second trigger would be that range issue. Finally, they have to address the complete lack of models of interest to me.
I don't think they're going to make what I want in the time I have remaining as a driver; right now, I don't even think they could do it if they had an unlimited budget.
Consequently, I'll keep rolling in what I already have. :)
I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
There are definitely hybrids that could be considered chick-magenets. The McLaren P1 and Porsche 918 Spyder come to mind. The problem with them is that their price tags are of the "if you have to ask..." variety.
In most cases, if what you care about is fuel savings, there are better approaches. I got a Mazda3 with a SkyActiv engine, and I've never gotten below 30 MPG, and have sometimes gotten into the low 40's. That for a reasonably sized car that is comfortably under $20k, and there isn't much case for a hybrid. You've also got to consider that fuel economy only has a decent payoff time if you drive a lot, and most people who drive a lot probably do it on the highway, where hybrid technology offers little benefit.
Really, the no-brainer use case for hybrids is somebody who drives all the time in city conditions... or basically taxi drivers. Which is why so many of them are hybrids now. There's a limited market for them outside of that, though - most other people are better served by good old ICE technology or by going whole hog with electric.
All one manufacturer needs to do is be able to make one without bells and whistles, and aim for economy. Make a plug in hybrid for under $16,000, and people who care about their wallet will buy enmass. It doesn't make sense to buy a plugin hybrid when you can buy a cheaper car that comes with "free gasoline." When I look at cars and go,"Okay, I could by a hybrid or a car ten grand cheaper, the 100,000 miles of free gasoline means it isn't economically sensible." A plug in hybrid that is economically feasible could vastly improve poor people's lives. They could go from store to store shopping for deals if they wanted since the biggest reason not to now is that the gasoline overhead of traveling.
I guess as long as some people are still buying the more expensive hybrids that is good for the future of the technology to come down in price, but I don't know any manufacturer who has done it yet.
God spoke to me
My wife and I purchased a 2005 Prius (back when they were quite uncommon). Wife's car. She loved it. Very reliable. Great mileage in warm weather, decent mileage in winter (37 mpg).
I liked her Prius so much I bought a 2010 Prius. Better gas mileage than the 2005, plus the option to boost power on demand, made this car a dream to drive. The interior fit, though, is sad (annoying rattle under the glove box).
We recently upgraded my wife's 2005 Prius to a 2012 Chevy Volt. OMG. So quiet! And the initial torque when you step on the accelerator...wow, just wow. The 2012 Volt makes my 2010 Prius seem like a go cart. My wife's current game with the car is to see how little gas she can use. So far, 2 tanks consumed and both of those were mandatory burnoffs required by the Volt after the gas sat in the car (unused) for 12 months. Her current lifetime gas mileage (as recorded by Chevy) is 597 MPG.
My next car will not be a Prius...it will be an electric of some type.
When I can but a Toyota Matrix for half the price, get twice the cargo space and still get 38 mpg. I think consumers are realizing that hybrids are just a clever way for automakers to tax people who suck at math.
Really it sounds like you suck at math, but full points for hyperbole.
The Matrix gets 28 MPG, not 38 MPG. (vs 50 MPG for the Prius)
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg...
The Matrix doesn't have twice the cargo space. According the same link, the Matrix has LESS cargo space than the Prius.
The Matrix wasn't half the price (It Appears the Matrix is no more), but again according to the above. Matrix was $19275 vs $24200 for Prius. Hardly half. The Base Prius is also a lot better equipped than a Base Matrix.
Also the average driver would save $850 annually on gas driving the Prius over the Matrix(if gas prices stay the same), meaning it would take 5.8 years to make up the price difference, after that it is gravy and you have a better equipped car, and more savings going forward.
Up until the Caddy SUV is six years old, the average length of the note required to pay off a 70k vehicle, a used model can retain nearly 50% of its original value if kept in decent shape.
Holding your fashion statement of a vehicle an additional 2-3 years dramatically reduces your resale value, and must be accounted for in any perceived savings equation.
Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.
Ernest Hemingway
Now all they have to do is get the "strong" hybrids to not suck or cost a fortune. The RR Sport Diesel Hybrid seems really nice, but for that price I can buy a lot of gas.
2001-2003 Toyota Prius (1st generation) - $3,649 minus $1,350 "core credit"
2004-2008 Toyota Prius (2nd generation) - $3,649 minus $1,350 "core credit"
2009-present Toyota Prius (3rd generation) - $3,939 minus $1,350 "core credit"
Toyota Camry Hybrid - $3,541, core credit deducted
Toyota Highlander Hybrid - $4,848, core credit deducted
"has over a 300 mile range when being driven aggressively with the A/C and/or heater running and the audio system blasting"
that would be "All of them"
You're an idiot.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
Random selection from anecdotal biased observation? what could go wrong.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
If I was in the market for a new car, I think by far I'd go for something Tesla.
If you can afford one, go for it. I'd do the same, but then again, I have a 10 year old Prius that's going fine (got a high-voltage battery replacement just last week - but that's covered under my state-mandated 10 year warranty) - cost to upgrade - $75k+, cost to keep my 50+mpg car? close to zero.
Now if I could buy an EV or hybrid minivan (none of this Prius V bullshit, Toyota - you sell the Hybrid Estima in Japan, why not here!?!) - I'd buy one in a heartbeat and replace my Prius.
btw, If you're complaint about the Prius appearance - what's the drag coefficient of your car? Is it as good as my 10 year old Prius? 'Cause that's why it looks like it does - it's part of it's design elegance.
Make sure everyone's vote counts: Verified Voting
Seriously, our subsidy program is the absolute WORST approach going.
.01/KWH that feeds into the state's DOT where it occurred at. That should help slow down the wailing by the far right, but of course, it will never stop it.
We should kill the subsidies for all small-medium size hybrid passenger vehicles, and only have it available for serial hybrids on large passenger and all commercial vehicles. Why do this? Because with a serial vehicle, it becomes trivial to switch the vehicle from a gas generator, to say a nat gas. generator, an H2 fuel cell, or even a flow battery. Basically, it allows our fleet to move across different fuels as economics dictate.
In addition, all electric vehicles should be based on Mile Per Charge or MPC, as shown by EPA. If a passenger vehicle gets less than 100 MPC, then it means only a 50 mile range MAX. The reality is that it will be 35-45 range. This will encourage daytime charging, which will increase daytime demand, which will increase the price of electricity. IOW, all aspects of society will be subsidizing these kinds of cars. As such, there should be little to NO subsidy on these.
Likewise, if a passenger vehicle gets 100-150 MPC, it should get around 5-7K subsidy.
And if a passenger vehicle gets above 150 MPC, give it 10-15K. Why? Because these will always be night chargers, EXCEPT when going for long distance.
OTOH, if a commercial vehicle such as a USPS vehicle which only drives less than 40 miles PER DAY TOTAL is ideal for a large subsidy. The reason is that they will be charging at night time. I am not opposed to giving such a vehicle 10-15K subsidy.
Regardless, we should start a tax on all daytime chargers that are available to use. Add
The interesting item is the nat gas vehicles. A smart move here is to come up with a tax that starts high and drops every year for the next 5-6 years. In the first 2 years, it should be used to get LNG stations along federal highways within 100 miles of each other, and at least 3 CNG stations in every single county in the nation. For the next 3-4 years, all of it should go into NEW commercial and large passenger vehicles that use Nat Gas. Larger subsidies for serial hybrids. By doing this, it gets manufacturers to switch over and for companies to buy new vehicles. Sometime later, other vehicles will switch IFF the price of nat gas is low.
I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
I wouldn't consider a range rover hybridized with a 47 hp electric motor vs the 288 hp diesel engine to be 'strong'. To me a 'strong' EV has the electric motor be at least as strong as the engine.
Still, per this article it gives V-8 performance at V-8 cost with V-6 gas mileage.
I don't read AC A human right
It seems some hybrid early adopters are now switching to plug-in hybrids or electric cars
Plug-in hybrids are hybrids. "We find that if we exclude many of the more recent models of hybrids from our analysis, the number of people buying hybrids isn't increasing."
Well duh...
"I'm too busy to research this and form an educated opinion, but I do have time to tell everyone my uninformed opinion."
and found that they got better mileage with the "unnecessarily complex dual drive train" than they did with the charging-only engine.
My wife and I both have our own cars to drive to work. She drives a compact SUV that we have had for a few years and I drive a Nissan LEAF. We can take the gas car if we need to go on a long trip and we have the LEAF to use the rest of the time. When we go out we always take the LEAF. It is much cheaper to operate and it is a blast to drive. Most of the families I know with two cars would be much happier with one gas car and one electric car.
The real solution is pure electric
The energy source may be batteries, supercapacitors or hydrogen..or something new??
Hybrids are at best an intermediate solution
The good news is that they advanced the manufacturing experience of electric motors and control electronics for vehicle use ,,and started consumers thinking that gasoline is not the only path
Okay, how about a Tahoe or an Armada or a Sequoia?
Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
1) I need a car that will do 80 consecutive miles without a charge.
2) I need a car that can go 300 or 400 miles - in whatever manner.
That means one of three things:
1) A rapid charge after 80 miles (sub 15 minutes)
2) One of those sweet-looking NASCAR-esque battery swaps that Tesla does, or
3) A hybrid
It also has to hit a reasonable price point to make it comparable to an efficient gasoline burner, i.e. sub-$45,000.
Less than 80 consecutive miles and my initial purchase cost is no longer offset by the fuel savings. Less than a 400-mile trip and I have to own a second car for business trips. Both of these are show-stoppers for me, and anyone else who has any sort of reasonable daily work commute.
If Tesla can achieve their goal of making a car for $35,000 - I'm in. If I can get a plug-in hybrid with a battery pack that will go 80 miles, I'm in. Until then, I'm stuck with high-MPG gas burners - which for the time being are still more cost efficient over their life span.
Though ideologically, even at a higher price point, I'd be more than happy to stop purchasing gas, even at a higher overall cost. I'm just waiting for someone to make a practical vehicle that will let me do just that.
The vast majority of the cost of the Tesla is in the battery. Drop the battery for a small energy buffer and a ~50hp generator and you're down in conventional car territory.
Let's check the math.
2014 Highlander 4WD Limited*: $41,960 18/24 mpg (21 averaged)
2014 Highlander Hybrid Limited AWD: $48,160 27/28 mpg (27.5 averaged)
Price difference: $6,200
Fuel cost per mile, $4 gallon: 19 cents vs 14.5
Savings per mile: 4.5 cents
Break Even: 138k miles
Time: 9.2 years.
Conclusion: Not worth it.
What if you're a 'city slicker'?
Cost per mile: 22 cents vs 15, diff 7
Break Even: 89k miles, 5.9 years. Worth it.
*Keeping the trim levels the same t
I don't read AC A human right
Yeah, and look at the price.
I want a BMW ActiveHybrid, or a Saab hybrid. Unfortunately with the second death of SAAB, the hybrid 9-3 eAWD project was killed off in favor of pure EVs alongside the existing 9-3 ICE model. In the case of BMW, the ActiveHybrid3 is available only as RWD, not xDrive (AWD).
So, for an all wheel drive sedan I'm sticking with ICE and trading in my Saab on either a used 9-3 XWD or a new 335 xDrive. I wish someone made the hybrid I want (an AWD/XWD sports sedan), but they don't. It seems the only AWD hybrid options right now are either extremely high end exotic hybrids or SUVs - the former are not in my budget and not practical for NH winters anyway, and I do not want an SUV for a daily driver.
The Christian Right is Neither (Christian nor right). See: Matthew 23, Matthew 25, Ezekiel 16:48-50
I do 30k per year. Back in 03, I bought a car with 25 mpg. It was fine at $2 per galllon. In 08 I bought a car that got 17 mpg. Joke was on me, gas doubled shortly thereafter. New car time. Euro diesel experience, rental and relatives, at $10 per gallon, was instructive. Here in the US, though, cheap is VW, moderate BMW, expensive MB. Hybrid is great for short distances and city. I considered and drove the Volt, but it was going "gas" at 40 miles.... A VW TDi diesel gets close to 40 mpg at 80 mph. I'd love the e90 320d I rented in Berlin, but that never made it over to North America. Diesel has great torque....pulls constantly, and other than winning 0-60 drag races, is a better overall package for the normal driver. I'm only limited by tires around town. My 3 series wins on a highway, but for city or normal commuting, the less horsepower diesel with more torque is more useful than the bigger horsepower car. We drove around bavaria with a 320d and a 316i. The diesel spanked the gas car on the autobahn. At the end of the same trip at same speeds, the gas car used a tank and a half more fuel, which meant $180 in fuel costs. (they are same price in Germany-not in US). Different tools for different jobs. I've had a few different cars, and a diesel car is like the old big block two barrel version of the big American car. Huge pull off the line, just don't spin it up. (The diametric opposite of the Euro car-like my Mk. 2 16v GTi) I'm still amazed that in Berlin I saw Chrysler minivans with 4 cyl turbodiesels but none in the US...on the very same school run.
Yes, but that just illustrates the well-known scientific principle that the strength of the chick-magnetic field is proportional to the charge on your credit card.
FTA: "So that's the hook: V6 economy, V8 performance. The price is the same as the V8 too by the way."
I did look at the price.
I don't read AC A human right
I own a Prius, my second one. And I keep seeing people make a lot of fuss about the battery replacement. Really, does anyone have some real data on this? My dealer said he never experienced a customer coming in and asking for it (and they sold a lot of these cars due to the tax benefits in my country). But I realize that a car dealer doesn' t sound too objective.
At this moment I still believe the vast majority of hybrid cars, at least the Prius, will never have a replacement. At most the capacity in the end will be so low that the fuel benefits are nearly negated, but in such old cars you don't invest in replacing the batteries. Simply keep driving it.
Up hill: even my previous Prius (which had a small 1.5 liter engine) was the best car I ever drove in the mountains. The aid of the electric part really makes a difference. And down hill was even better as it breaks 'on the engine' much better than a normal car. I am sure it doesn't get close to a a four wheel drive, but it saying it is terrible up hill seems a myth to me.
It's not a sports car, but at least the current model with the 1.8L engine is not slow either. You can't compare it to cars like BMW or Audi or such cars. But take a test drive once.
What is true in my view is that for long distances, the advantages of the hybrid are nearly gone. I get decent mileage if I drive long distances, but that seems to me has more to do with the design of the car rather than with the hybrid part.
So coming back to my original question, does anyone have some realistic data on battery replacement?
---
Like I said, it's damn expensive, just because they're both damn expensive doesn't really help. There are plenty of nice conventional cars around, but as far as I know this one is one of the least expensive decent hybrids, unless you are in the market for a cracker box. Which is fine, but it is what it is.
in this crappy economy, there's only so many people who can afford luxury cars like the prius and organic meat, yadda yadda.
Remember kids, if you're not paying for the service, YOU ARE THE PRODUCT THAT IS BEING SOLD.
The summary suggests that plug-in hybrids are something different from hybrids - surely that's wrong: they're just a particular kind of hybrid.
The added cost pushes the economic break even point past the effective product life once you factor in the average additional cost of $4,000 at 140K miles to replace the battery pack, which is what many units are experiencing. Moreover there are a few all gas or all diesel cars out there just as small that can get 45-50mpg so the difference in economic value is even more stark.
Plug ins - aka all electric cars of course suffer from the same problem. For example Smart Car makes a small number of all electrics. They cost nearly $26,000. And contrary to their claims, the tax credit in most states is $2,000 not $7,500. And my state charges an extra $100 just to register the car. They're still debating how to screw owners into paying an additional tax to cover the gas tax. And so it goes.......
And it would get better gas mileage than a hybrid Prius for those driving mostly highway (or non stop-and-go) miles.
I come here for the love
Your's is the worst kind of anecdote -- non-typical usage.
You rented a car for a week so:
(1) you wanted to have fun driving around...in a battery-weighted car
(2) you were not going to be spending one to two hours a day in rush hour traffic...that a Prius was designed for
(3) because you were going to be doing more than typical amounts of highway driving...that a Prius is neutered by
Three strikes, your anecdote is out.
I come here for the love
This article is just an exercise in crappy statistical thinking. The source of the claim is linked in the article here. A cursory glance at the graph demonstrates that aside from two weird years (2009 and 2014), hybrid sales have indeed been keeping pace with the number of hybrid models. When the entire premise of your conclusion depends completely upon the endpoints of your graph, your conclusion is probably crap.
My interpretation of the graph essentially boils down to, "No reason to believe that hybrids have 'peaked' just yet. We'll know more in a couple of years. But there's absolutely no reason to panic right now."
15k miles is the median driven per vehicle in the USA. It's 'only' 40 miles per day, 58 if you only drive during the weekday.
Less than 2 hours of driving even at only an average speed of 25-30 mph.
There are people out there that commute further in stop&go driving, we're talking 2 hours each way every day.
I don't read AC A human right
I was hoping for +1 Funny.