Hybrid vehicle registrations jump

updated 8:50 a.m. ET April 22, 2004

DETROIT - Americans are opting more for vehicles with environmentally friendly gasoline-electric hybrid engines, new statistics show, and that trend is expected to continue because of high gas prices and a growing number of hybrid models.

U.S. registrations for hybrid vehicles rose to 43,435 last year, a 25.8 percent increase from 2002, according to figures from R.L. Polk & Co., a firm that collects and interprets automotive information.

California had the most registrations at 11,425, followed by Virginia, Florida and Washington.

“People are buying hybrids because of mileage benefits and environmental concerns,” said Lonnie Miller, director of Polk’s analytical solutions unit. “With the rising cost of gas, hybrid registrations will likely increase in 2004.”

Annual growth of 89 percent since 2000
Since 2000, hybrid sales in the United States have grown at an average annual rate of 88.6 percent, Polk said, but they account for only a fraction of total vehicles sold. Full-year U.S. sales for 2003 were 16.7 million.

Interactive Honda hybrid The first gas/electric car sold in the U.S.

Hybrids draw power from two energy sources, typically a gas or diesel engine combined with an electric motor. For now, the only versions available in the United States are small cars made by Honda Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp., but nearly every automaker is investing in hybrid technology.

Honda’s hybrid Civic accounted for 50 percent of the registrations last year, slightly ahead of the Toyota Prius, Polk said. Both cars get more than 45 miles per gallon.

Hybrid sales so far this year have been mixed.

Toyota sold 9,918 Prius models through March, 62.4 percent more than it sold in the same period last year, according to Autodata Corp. Toyota was the first in the world to commercially mass-produce and sell hybrid cars with the Prius in 1997.

Honda said it set a monthly sales record in March for the hybrid Civic, though first-quarter sales were off from a year ago — 5,982 versus 6,494.

Because of the relatively new technology, the hybrid Civic costs about $2,000 to $3,000 more than a comparable non-hybrid Civic, the automaker said.

More choices coming
Hybrid choices will increase. Ford Motor Co. is set to introduce a hybrid version of its compact Escape sport utility vehicle this summer, and luxury brand Lexus also plans a hybrid SUV. Honda plans to introduce a hybrid version of its midsize Accord passenger car this year.

Ford has said the hybrid system in the front-wheel-drive Escape allows the vehicle to get 35 to 40 miles per gallon in city driving, compared with 20 miles per gallon in a 2005 Escape with a V6 engine. It also plans another hybrid SUV and midsize sedan in the next few years.

Having more choices will make the hybrid vehicles more popular, Miller said.

Available & upcoming hybrids DaimlerChrysler Diesel-electric Dodge Ram: Pickup gets 15 percent mileage boost. 2008: Dodge Durango SUV with 25 percent mileage improvement. Ford Escape Hybrid: SUV rated at 36 in city driving with two-wheel-drive model, nearly double that of the gas-only Escape. Highway driving rated at 31 mpg. Mercury Mariner SUV: 33 mpg in the city, 29 on the highway. 2007: Mazda Tribute SUV, no mileage data yet. 2008: Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan sedans, no mileage data yet. General Motors GMC Sierra/Chevrolet Silverado: 2WD models get 18 mpg city, 21 mpg highway for an increase of 10-12 percent over gasoline siblings. Saturn Vue: SUV rated at 27 mpg in city and 32 mpg highway — a 20 percent increase over gasoline sibling. 2007: Saturn Aura sedan, no specs available. Chevy Tahoe, GMC Yukon, up to 35 percent mpg boost. Chevrolet Malibu, 15 percent increase. 2008: Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups that get up to 35 percent mpg increase. Honda Insight: two-door rated at 56 mpg on highway and in city but discontinued starting in 2007 model year. Civic Hybrid: four-door rated at 51 mpg on highway and 49 mpg in city. Accord Hybrid: rated at 35 mpg on the highway, 29 mpg in the city. Nissan Fall 2006: Hybrid version of midsize Altima. Toyota Prius: Sedan rated at 60 mph in city, 51 mpg on highway. Lexus RX 400h: SUV rated at 31 mpg in city driving, two thirds more than its gas-only RX 330 sibling. Highlander Hybrid: SUV is rated at 32/27 mpg in city/highway driving based on two-wheel-drive model. Lexus GS 450h: Sports sedan rated at 25 mpg in city and 28 mpg highway, along with 339 horsepower. Camry Hybrid: Sedan rated at 40 mpg in city, 38 on highway.

Ford chairman and chief executive Bill Ford has said the federal government should offer tax breaks of about $3,000 or perhaps boost taxes on gasoline to spur consumer interest in hybrids.

Already, officials in some states have successfully pushed for incentives to make buying more energy-efficient vehicles more appealing. Others are trying.

Frank Hornstein, a state representative in Minnesota who drives a Civic hybrid, has introduced legislation that would give state residents a sales tax exemption for buying certain hybrid vehicles.

While one state senator has called the legislation social engineering, Hornstein said he believes Minnesota should promote the technology even if it means roughly $1 million a year in lost revenue, as the state estimates.

“The cost is somewhat minimal,” he said. “The state should say: We think this is a good thing and we want to let the auto industry know that we’d like to see more of it.”

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