The Toyota Prius: The truth about hybrid cars
It's not just a niche vehicle for environmentalistsI just finished reading Karl On Cars' take on the Toyota Prius, and how the Prius outsold entire brands like, Acura, Audi, Buick, Infiniti, Lincoln, Mercury, Mitsubishi, Saturn, Scion, Subaru, Suzuki and Volvo. Not bad for a niche vehicle.
So, why aren't other hybrid cars selling as well?
Because there really isn't any competition. That's the plain and simple truth. Finish....
Labels: honda civic hybrid, hybrid cars, toyota camry hybrid, toyota prius
posted by Dahcredyns at
7:49 AM
1 Comments:
Full Story
I just finished reading Karl On Cars' take on the Toyota Prius, and how the Prius outsold entire brands like, Acura, Audi, Buick, Infiniti, Lincoln, Mercury, Mitsubishi, Saturn, Scion, Subaru, Suzuki and Volvo. Not bad for a niche vehicle.
So, why aren't other hybrid cars selling as well?
Because there really isn't any competition. That's the plain and simple truth.
The Honda Civic hybrid uses less hybrid technology than the Prius and isn't as fuel efficient, especially in urban driving, and it takes much longer to recover the costs of Civic hybrid technology compared to a standard Civic. The Civic hybrid just isn't as cost-effective as the Prius.
In terms of sales, the 2nd best selling hybrid is the Toyota Camry hybrid, which is on track to sell more than 60,000 units in 2007. Still, it costs more than the Prius and is less fuel efficient - the primary concern of hybrid buyers. Would the Camry hybrid sell more if it was unique? Maybe, if it was a really cool design, but tax credits would also provide a big bump in Camry hybrid sales. Again, the Camry hybrid just isn't as cost-effective as the Prius.
In the end Prius buyers like their unique hybrids because they represent their beliefs - fighting foreign oil dependency and global warming - at a fair cost. In fact, if you keep your Prius for 7 or 8 years, the Prius is probably the most cost-effective car you can buy, especially if you drive in any type of congestion, and it's a permanent hedge against high energy costs.
Despite the critics and skeptics, Prius buyers are smart - maybe the smartest car buyers out there - and I guess that's what causes so much irritation.
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