Loyalty Low Among Hybrid Owners

Only 35% of hybrid vehicle owners in the U.S buy another hybrid when they replace their vehicle, according to Polk, the global auto data provider.

But having a hybrid in its lineup can help a carmaker attract first-time customers, Polk says. The firm's analysis also shows that hybrid owners tend to remain loyal to their current brand but not to hybrid technology when they buy a new vehicle.

Owner loyalty to hybrids is no stronger in such eco-oriented markets as Los Angeles and Seattle than the 35% rate for the U.S. overall, according to Polk. Its report says the markets with the highest proportion of hybrid owners who buy another hybrid are West Palm Beach (43%) and Phoenix, Orlando and Tampa (each about 40%).

Polk notes that the number of available hybrid models has more than doubled in the past five years. But the firm figures that hybrids captured only 2.4% of the American light-vehicle market last year, down from a record 2.9% in 2008.

Fuel prices, which ranged from $2 to $4 per gallon between 2008 and 2011, did not affect owner loyal to the technology, according to Polk. It notes that the improving fuel economy of conventionally powered vehicles also makes it tougher for green vehicles to generate mass appeal.

Additional factors that hamper the popularity of hybrids and other alternate powertrains are high cost, buyer unease with new technologies and consumer worries about the lack of sufficient recharging infrastructure, Polk says.