RSSWhere Have All The Hybrids Gone …
J.J. Jackson | March 26, 2009
Well, they are sitting on the lots as people just are not that interested in them according to a report in the L.A. Times:
Americans have cut back on buying vehicles of all types as the economy continues its slide. But the slowdown has been particularly brutal for hybrids, which use electricity and gasoline as power sources. They were the industry’s darling just last summer, but sales have collapsed as consumers refuse to pay a premium for a fuel-efficient vehicle now that the average price of a gallon of gasoline nationally has slipped below $2.
“When gas prices came down, the priority of buying a hybrid fell off quite quickly,” said Wes Brown, a partner at Los Angeles-based market research firm Iceology. “Yet even as consumer interest declined, the manufacturers have continued to pump them out.”
…
In July, U.S. Toyota dealers didn’t have enough Prius models in stock to last two days, and many were charging thousands of dollars above sticker price for the few they had.
Today there are about 80 days’ worth on hand, and dealers are working much harder — even with the help of $500 factory rebates — to move the egg-shaped gas-savers off lots from Santa Monica to Miami.
It certainly is harder to justify spending thousands of dollars more on a hybrid than a comparable pure gasoline powered car when gasoline is cheap. It must be some sort of conspiracy!
Anyway, even with government incentives for buying “green” vehicles sales certainly are not doing very well. I guess the only way to get the cars flying off the lot is to get gas prices to shoot back up as high and as quickly as possible. Where’s that ban on off-shore drilling?
You WILL conform to what government wants you to drive. Even if they have to pass laws and regulations to force you to such a decision. It’s for the environment after all! What, you are not buying that anymore? Uh … ok … then it’s for the children! Oh … not buying that either? Well then do it for the nanny state! OR ELSE!
Contributor's website: http://www.libertyreborn.com
Content posted by users from other sites is posted for commentary and news purposes under fair use and each author is responsible for their own postings and a particular posting should not be construed as being endorsed by this site or its owner.
Leave a Reply
Loading ...Recommended Reading:
