Other Hybrids Languishing
According to thetruthaboutcars.com, in May, Toyota reported selling 24,000 examples of its Prius hybrid sedan. That figure is double last year's best month. Prius sales benefited from high gas prices, increased production and availablity, and Toyota's first ever incentives on this model, including a $219/month lease deal. At May's rate of sales, the Prius would be the 6th highest selling model in the United States.
Sales of other hybrids are not so good. Most are selling in low 4 figures per month. Honda announced that it is discontinuing its Accord hybrid.
It's beginning to look like hybrid buyers are looking for the whole, highly integrated package for total efficiency, rather than a tacked on BSA (belt/starter alternater) mild hybrid system.
The Prius is set for its next major redo in the fall of 2008 as a 2009 model. Toyota's target is better performance with a 20% efficiency gain. As I wrote years ago, the experience curve is crucial to viably producing hybrid cars. Toyota appears to be a generation ahead of everybody esle (sorry Ford), and Toyota's lead is widening.
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