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U.S. Demand for Hybrids, EVs Surge 49%
Rising gasoline prices made hybrid, plug-in and electric vehicles the fastest-growing segment of the American auto market in the first quarter of 2012, Bloomberg News says.
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Rising gasoline prices made hybrid, plug-in and electric vehicles the fastest-growing segment of the American auto market in the first quarter of 2012, Bloomberg News says.
Automakers sold 117,200 units of those vehicles in the first three months of this year compared to 78,500 units in the same period of 2011, according to the news service's tally. Bloomberg says EVs and hybrids captured a 3.4% share of the U.S. light-vehicle market compared with 2.6% in the first quarter of last year.
March was an all-time record month for Toyota's Prius hybrid family (28,700 units) and General Motors' Chevrolet Volt extended-range hybrid sedan (2,300 units). Hyundai says that as much as 30% of its Sonata sedan output is equipped with a hybrid system.
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