April 21, 2008
As gas rises, so does hybrid usage
As gas prices continue to climb (Roanoke hit a record $3.353 per gallon this morning), the number of people opting for super-fuel-efficient vehicles is also on the rise.
This is from the Associated Press this morning:
A growing number of buyers feel like Fenske. U.S. registrations of new hybrid vehicles rose 38 percent in 2007 to a record 350,289, according to data to be released Monday by R.L. Polk & Co., a Southfield-based automotive marketing and research company. Hybrids made up just 2.2 percent of the U.S. market share for the year, but they were growing steadily even as overall sales declined 3 percent.
Virginia is listed as one of the leading states for hybrid usage. The state has 3.4 percent of all registered hybrids in the country.
What are you driving? Are you considering a hybrid?
Comments
[April 21, 2008 12:57 PM]
Other JohnTo be honest, a hybrid does not appeal to me at this time. I don't have the money to plunk down on a new car, and the one I have gets 30+ MPG anyway. We do have a Ford Escape that gets 18-20 MPG, but that's a reasonably new car that we don't plan on trading either. Perhaps when a small pick-up (i.e. a Ranger) is made a hybrid, and I can afford a new car, I might go that route. But until then, we adapt as prices change and we keep on going.
[April 21, 2008 5:53 PM]
Sean Pecor : →http://www.pecorfamily.comA business case can be made for trading in a not-very-old 19mpg car for a new 48mpg hybrid, depending on your driving habits. If you put 20,000 miles per year on a car, then the savings would be substantial. With a 19mpg car, you're plunking down $3,715 for gas over 12 months at the current rate of $3.53. With a 48mpg Prius, you're plunking down only $1,470 over 12 months. That's nearly $200 less per month!
We've had a Prius for 3 years and we've driven 60,000 miles. The savings has been significant. And we all know $3.53/gallon will seem "cheap" in 3 more years.
[April 22, 2008 10:39 AM]
Other JohnI look at it in a holistic manner, not just gas prices. I look at maintenance, insurance, fuel, and payments. My 30 MPG car is paid for and I only carry liability insurance, so my per-mile operating cost is about as cheap as it can get, far lower than if I had a hybrid. And since a payment on a 4WD hybrid would about triple the payment on our Escape, it's likewise more cost effective to keep what we currently have. Now, when it comes time for us to buy a newer car (hopefully not for several years) then perhaps we would consider a hybrid if the total per-mile operating cost was the lowest, because I am more concerned about that that gas prices.