Hybrid Sales Still Strong

It is almost becoming conventional wisdom: Hybrids sell.

With gas prices having settled above $3 per gallon and oil breaking the $100 per barrel mark, increasingly oil-nervous consumers are turning to more efficient vehicles. Even though clean diesel technology shows promise, the gasoline-electric hybrid drivetrain is dominating the market for car buyers interested in climate change, oil independence and saving a few bucks at the pump.

Year-over-year, U.S. hybrid sales are up 82% from this time last year. At 33,233 units, this makes them 2.8% of all light-duty vehicles sold during November. These numbers, however, still underestimate the popularity of hybrids, as GM does not count its hybrid vehicle sales separately. With GMs vehicles accounted for, both the market share and total number of hybrids sold would be higher.

Individually, the greatest sales increases for the month came from Toyota. Its Prius sales increased 109% from last year, and the Camry Hybrid also saw a 65% increase. Other notable increases included the Toyota Highlander Hybrid (55%), Ford’s Escape and Mariner hybrids (a combined 50%), and Honda’s Civic Hybrid (47%). One interesting side note: We wonder if the Prius’ presence in rental car fleets is adding to its statistical dominance.

Hybrids Post Strong US Sales in November (Green Car Congress)

Comments

As far as the Prius being in the rental fleet, does it really matter? Rentals are part of the market too, and having them be hybrids make just as much sense as regular cars, if not more so. Plus, it's a way to get consumers used to the idea if they get to test it out first on a business trip or vacation.

That's true LM. But for years folks bashed the domestics for reporting sales figures with huge amounts of fleet sales. 109% increase is pretty big. It'd be good to know how much of that was fleet.

It's not so much Prius' going to rental fleets as it is Camry Hybrids and Escape Hybrids going to taxi companies. Over the next few years many thousands of hybrid sedans and SUVs will go to replace guzzling Crown Vics.

It's another thing also to say that crappy cars are going to fleets because consumers don't want them. Domestics get bashed for fleet sales because they don't or didn't make cars that individual consumers would buy.

Hybrids are going into markets that make (more) sense for them - markets where lots of miles are put on, saving a lot of gas in the meantime.

I am on my second hybrid in the last three years and loving it. Considering I previously drove back-to-back-to-back Mustang GT's you wouldn't think that I would be your typical hybrid buyer, however the market is changing and I'm changing with it. My first attempt at hybrid ownership was the Ford Escape. I wanted to remain loyal to Ford, however given my disappointment with the overall execution, poor dealer service, and poor reliability I decided to jump ship and buy my first Japanese car - a Honda Accord hybrid. I know some don't consider it a pure hybrid since it leans slightly to the performance side of the hybrid spectrum, but I must say I absolutely love it. We were so impressed with the quality of the Accord that we decided to dump our other car, my wife's Explorer, and get her a Camry hybrid. It's now my wife's daily driver and to no one's surprise we love the vehicle and don't miss the bigness of the Explorer nor the reliability issues that came with it. I have no doubt that if Toyota was to put the Camry hybrid into rental fleets to gain additional exposure more people would buy them. We were able to purchase ours at invoice. The other hybrid that I would recommend is the Altima hybrid which was also proved to be impressive during the extended test drive (the Nissan dealer let us keep the car overnight at no charge, given we didn't exceed 250 miles).

Why didn't you include the Nissan Altima Hybrid in your statistics? Just because it is not available in all states, it shouldn't be discriminated. Same with the Honda Accord and Honda Insight. They still exist, don't they. Prius sales aren't the only ones that have increased. You account the sales of the cars that are "sold" to the dealers themselves to drive them home to advertise. Then you think there's so many of them on the road. I see how it is.

Ummm...the Insight and Accord hybrids aren't sold anymore. So they've seen a huge decline (to ZERO).

The Altima Hybrid wasn't sold last year, so how could a comparison be made to a previous year?

Okay Toyota lover. Not only new car sales are to be accounted for. There are used ones selling out there. Check the registration numbers from the DMV before posting your Toyota and Ford loyal comments. As far as the Nissan Altima, this post doesn't make any sense comparing some cars with others. It should be a fair game when comparing.

Hollywood - It doesn't matter who you love - fact is those cars either aren't on sale anymore or were not on sale last year. Fact is fact. It's a new car comparison, not used.

Hybrids are not sold to Rental companies. But some of them like Escape & Highlander are sold to Taxis.

Taxis are the ideal application, since Hybrids give more mileage in city and Taxis mostly run in cities.

I guess all Crown Vic & Grand Marq can be replaced with Escape & Mariner Hybrids.

Grabbing 2.8 % market share is great. I think Hybrids will capture 2% of the overall market this year.

If the gas prices continue at this rate, expect Hybrids to capture 4 % next year, especially with GM coming out with Malibu, Tahoe & Yukon Hybrids.

Hey Max - they are sold to rental fleets...I actually rented one in NV last month. They had Prius', Camrys and Escapes.

Not to mention Zipcar, which has been offering Prius' and Civic hybrids for years.

We also can't forget fleet sales to governments too...many local, state and Federal agencies are buying hybrids now. The US Forest Service, for instance, has Escape hybrids, while the City and County of SF has Civic hybrids. Those are just two that I know of off hand.

It matters a lot to me, since more people have money to buy a used car than a brand new car. Fact is fact.

The City of Houston uses white Prius to quietly glide the back streets giving parking tickets. I saw one once creep right through a street party and ticket a car before anyone know what happened! Slick.