Hybrid Sales in US Climbed 7.5% in March

[corporate_mike]

Aggregate sales of hybrid light-duty vehicles climbed in March to a total of 17,861 units, up 7.5% from 16,619 in March 2005. Total light-duty vehicle sales in the US dropped 2.9% for the same period. (Although total sales of passenger cars and light trucks both declined year-on-year, light trucks increased their percentage market share by .4 percentage points.)

The hybrid sales in March were up 19.4% from February, and represented the best month for the segment so far this year.

Sales of Toyota’s Prius were 7,922—up from February but down 23% from March 2005. The Highlander Hybrid turned in its best results yet, posting 2,987 units—up 14% from February. The Lexus Rx 400h had a similar strong month, with 2,470 units sold, up 37% from February. Neither the Rx 400h nor the Highlander Hybrid were on the market in March 2005.

Ford’s sales of the Escape and Mariner hybrids climbed 19% from February to 1,590 units. That’s up a slight 1.3% from 2005.

Sales of the Honda Civic Hybrid climbed 25% from February to 2,232 units; that represents a 23% drop from the 2,896 units sold in March 2005, however. Results for the Accord Hybrid were weak, with only 581 units sold, down 26% from February, and down 69% from sales in March 2005. The Insight, with 79 units, had its best month of the year, up 41% from 2005.

Overall, hybrids represented 6.2% of Toyota’s total vehicle sales in March. 2.2% of Honda’s and 0.5% of Ford’s.

For those models that have hybrid and non-hybrid versions, the Highlander and Rx 400h hybrids represented 25.7% and 22.5% of sales respectively. Ford’s Escape and Mariner Hybrids and Honda’s Civic both represented 7.7% of total model sales. The Accord Hybrid represented 2.0% of total model sales.

[corporate_mike]

1. chart

[eleny]

2. I'd like to know what percentage of avalable units are sold

It's got to be very high and will now skyrocket. When the hybrids that get 90-100 mpg become available, I bet that there will be one heck of a waiting list for them.

[dipsydoodle]

4. I've got a pal in NC

who works at a Toyota dealership -- they have perpetual waiting lists.

Given sufficient demand I guess Toyota would open a factory for you.

Closest alt. would be that the USA started selling small european hatchbacks with highly efficient diesel euro4 engines. You'd easy get 60 mpg. The Mistusbishi Charisma which was direct injection petrol claimed 62 mpg. Those figures are for Imperial gallon which I think is 25 more than a US gallon.

If that avatar is Betty you should get the Helen Kane CD. It was on Helen's appearance and voice that Betty was based. Button up your over coat....tra la !

[eleny]

8. My avatar is'nt Betty but she looks a lot like her!

It's actually from a daily cartoon from the newspapers of yesteryear. I collect them and can't quite recall her name this minute. But she sure does look like Betty. I have a collection of Betty cartoons on tape and love them! Thanks for the tip about the Helen Kane cd.

[dipsydoodle]

12. I've got the Boop DVDs as well.

Some would now be classed as a bit racist in content. I got them on Amazon - a pair with 23 cartoons. There's also one called Cartoon Crazys - Banned and Censored with some other Betty ones on it. If you find those on Amazon they auto link you to similar ones anyway.

The Helen Kane CD is called Boop-Boop-A-Doop and its got 27 tracks on it. It's about $11 on Amazon over your side. I actually bought it for Button Up Your Overcoat !

[eleny]

13. Thanks!

[tridim]

3. Wow that's odd.. Just yesterday I heard Rush say

that hybrid sales are way down and gigantic SUV sales are way up.

Yes he really said that, and no I don't make a habit of listening to Rush, I was just flipping channels and heard him say it.

[ladjf]

14. I hope that you're not saying that Rush sometimes gives out

innaccurate information.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

5. an unknown expense?

Someone told me that hybrids have a very expensive special battery that will need to be replaced in 3-5 years at a cost of several thousand. If that is the case, people who are buying them for fuel efficiency to save money will see their savings evaporate. It might also impact their desirability as used cars. If you are buying them just for the ecological rightness and don't care about this expense, then I guess it's of no concern. Anyway, is this true? If it is, I don't think a lot of people know about this.

[bananas]

6. No, it's not true. nt

[papau]

7. I believe the battery guarantee is 100,000miles and cost is reasonable but

that depends on whether or not you believe reasonable replacement cost for the battery is in the $1000 to $3000 range folks are estimating, and whether or not the simulations of battery life that effectively have no replacement of the battery are ever needed are true.


As advertized, the hybrid battery packs are designed to last for the lifetime of the vehicle, somewhere between 150,000 and 200,000 miles, probably a whole lot longer, with the warranty covering the batteries for between eight and ten years, depending on the car maker.

Toyota and Honda say that they will recycle dead batteries and that disposal will pose no toxic hazards. Toyota puts a phone number on each battery, and they pay a $200 "bounty" for each battery to help ensure that it will be properly recycled.

There's no definitive word on replacement costs because they are almost never replaced. According to Toyota, since the Prius first went on sale in 2000, they have not replaced a single battery for wear and tear.

The battery packs seem to max out at under a three percent deterioration over a simulated 150,000 miles, where they cycle it back and forth, 30 to 70, 30 to 70. They've been doing battery simulations for a long time. Most folks suspect that Nickel Metal Hydride's can easily go 200,000 miles, maybe 300,00, maybe forever. You just don't replace them.

[eleny]

9. We can always depend on DUers to get to the truth of a matter!

thx!

[corporate_mike]

26. great post

[jsamuel]

10. i am really starting to think people are starting false hybrid rumors

to make them sound worse. Either because they are jealous of hybrid owners or they don't want people buying hybrid cars or they don't want to feel bad for not buying a hybrid when they know they could have.

[ladjf]

15. I read that the batteries were designed to last the life of the car.

[kestrel91316]

16. RW propaganda. Don't help propagate these myths.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

18. Did you notice that I asked it as a question?

I DID hear this, which is why I asked. I am not "propagating", I asked a real question that I was hoping to get a real answer for, which I did. Now, I will know how to respond in the future if someone tells me this again.

[lectrobyte]

27. Not true. Batteries are warranteed for 8 years, and I plan to keep

my Prius for at least that long. I've heard there are 8 battery modules that are roughly $250 apiece. Even if I have to replace all 8 at some point, I'm still ahead compared to the time I had to replace the transmission in my Jeep Grand Cherokee. I usually keep a car 10 to 12 years, so used car desirability is not a big deal (although I am occasionally surprised how much a 10 year old Honda is still worth). I picked a Prius because of the fuel mileage, less pollution, and other things such as the smoothness and quietness, and the 21st century feel of the thing.

It might not make sense economically to a lot of people, but car-buying seldom does. Nothing like one of my cow orkers who just bought a new 4x4 Expedition with leather (what's the "payback" on either of those?) trying to convince me I should have bought a Corolla and saved money, for an object lesson in irony.

[salin]

11. Today I saw a Stretch-Hummer...

(btw is there any current vehicle uglier/odder looking than a Stretch-Hummer?)...

I was pulling out of a gas station in my Prius when they were turning in. All i could think was... "that is GOING TO HURT"... oh and "Sucker!"

[corporate_mike]

24. I've seen them around as well

[BlooInBloo]

17. Last I heard, their cost still isn't offset by the efficiency gains....

Is that still true?

[lectrobyte]

28. Depends. How much is gas gonna cost next year?

If all you are looking at is the $$$, then it may not make sense. I was looking at cars like the Volvo S40, Jetta etc. before choosing a Prius.

[corporate_mike]

19. Check out Autoblog Green

http://www.autobloggreen.com/

[corporate_mike]

20. Ford Expects April to Be Best Hybrid Sales Month Yet

April is turning into a banner month for sales of the Escape and Mariner Hybrids, according to a Ford spokesperson.

With seven selling days left in April (and many dealers slow to report numbers), the company has already exceeded the prior highest monthly Mariner sales results (150 in December 2005) and is closing in on its prior highest monthly Escape hybrid numbers (1,800 in September 2005).

http://www.greencarcongress.com/hybrids/

[lonestarnot]

21. I would say that this is an indication of an awakening!

[yasmina27]

22. If you go to

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/sbs.htm

You can do a fuel expense comparison. For us, our Prius costs ~$700/yr in gas @ $2.78/gal. Our other vehicle, a Pacifica, costs ~$2100 in gas at the same price - if both cars driven 15,000 miles.

We're now on our 3rd Prius. Just got an 06 last weekend to take advantage of the $3150 tax credit for next year. Have never had any problems (knock on wood!).

[corporate_mike]

23. I drive a Prius as well

so high gas prices don't affect me much.

I also only drive 6-7,000 miles/year.

[corporate_mike]

25. Ford's hybrid sales stats