Cheap Gas Fuels Switch From Electric Cars To SUVs

schwit1 points out news that's sure to clash with Earth Day narratives: drivers who bought hybrid and electric cars are switching back to SUVs at a higher rate than ever. Quoting: According to Edmunds.com, about 22 percent of people who have traded in their hybrids and EVs in 2015 bought a new SUV. The number represents a sharp increase from 18.8 percent last year, and it is nearly double the rate of 11.9 percent just three years ago. Overall, only 45 percent of this year's hybrid and EV trade-ins have gone toward the purchase of another alternative fuel vehicle, down from just over 60 percent in 2012. Never before have loyalty rates for alt-fuel vehicles fallen below 50 percent. ... Edmunds calculates that at the peak average national gas price of $4.67/gallon in October 2012, it would take five years to break even on the $3,770 price difference between a Toyota Camry LE Hybrid ($28,230) and a Toyota Camry LE ($24,460). At today's national average gas price of $2.27/gallon, it would take twice as much time (10.5 years) to close the same gap.

Comments

Re:Progressive Fix 101

[Bing Tsher E]

Eliminate any exceptions to the CAFE standard for SUVs.

Background: The SUV class of vehicle only exists because it was a loophole in the CAFE standards. Automakers had to meet a 'fleet average' fuel economy for every vehicle they sold.

That meant Chevy needed to produce and sell a significant number of fuel-economical vehicles for each gas guzzler they sold. That requirement alone forced the Station Wagon almost entirely out of the market, because Chevy wants to sell heavily equipped pickup trucks to people who want them (will spend lots of extra $$) and not just to people who need them. Also to sell vettes and other crap.

The SUV loophole was that 'light sport utility vehicles' were exempt from the fleet average calculation, so the manufacturers sold the hell out of them.

Eliminate the SUV loophole and the big bloated turds would be gone quickly. Soccer moms ignoring the road because they're texting need to drive minivans with little engines, not pigiron.

Re:Buying cars based on fuel price... ugh

[LWATCDR]

Your Imperial gallon is larger than a US Gallon.
So he Mazda 6 gets 46 mpg on gas in UK terms.
The Chevy Cruze Diesel gets over 55 mpg.
Also the US uses a different testing method than the EU so often the same car with the same engine will get better ratings in the EU.