Hybrid and electric car sales soar as gas prices fall

Chevrolet Volt / General Motors

(MoneyWatch) Hybrid and electric cars, contrary to their usual trend, have continued strong sales even as gas prices have fallen. With gas more than 50 cents per gallon below its peak earlier this year, hybrid and electric sales still surged by 164 percent in June, according to Kelley Blue Book.

But not all electrics performed equally. Vehicles with a back-up gasoline engine like the Chevrolet Volt sold strongly, while pure electrics such as the Nissan Leaf lagged. General Motors sold 1,760 Volts in June and 8,817 for the first half of the year -- a 221% increase -- while the Nissan Leaf sold 535 in June and 3,148 in the first half of 2012.

The issue is range anxiety -- drivers' fear of being stuck on the road when the battery runs out on an all-electric car. "Range anxiety just kills it for a lot of day-to-day consumers," says Ivan Drury, an analyst with Edmunds.com. With the Volt, a backup gasoline engine kicks in after the battery's range of about 35 miles is exhausted.

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In addition to the Volt, Toyota Prius is now offering a plug-in hybrid version that recharges when plugged in but has a backup gasoline engine. That now gives the Prius family a wide choice. The small-car Prius C has sold strongly since its introduction earlier this year. And the traditional Prius and bigger Prius V also continue to do well. Overall Prius sales were up 300 percent over June of last year, although that number was boosted somewhat by a comparison with limited inventory last June after the Japanese earthquake and tsunami.

In addition, more plug-in hybrids are coming on the market. Later this year, Ford is introducing a small crossover called the C-Max, which has a plug-in version. The company says it will be able to travel about 20 miles on electric power alone but then could add an additional 530 miles with the gasoline engine. Reports suggest that some mid-size sedans such as the Ford Fusion and Honda Accord also could add plug-in versions in the future.

Even with state budget crises, some states continue to give incentives for electric and plug-in vehicles. Volt has now qualified for the $2,500 rebate California gives to buyers of such cars.. Perhaps more important for some daily commuters, these cars also get a sticker allowing the driver to use the car pool lane even when alone in the car. In traffic-clogged California cities, that can mean major time saving during a commute.

[occupy_cbs]

"Hybrid and electric sales soar as gas prices fall"




All Americans should be happy to see new technology for the 21st century doing well, but it certainly appears we have the usual fox/rush haters of clean and green technology posting their anti-American rants.

This is just more proof of the hatred and bigotry of the right-wing!

[sjc_1]

I would like to see the U.S. get free of middle east and OPEC oil forever. Synthetic fuel and hybrid plug in cars are a way to do that. Once we are free of the world oil market we will not see fuel prices go up and down every day in the U.S. and we will have a more secure energy future.

[hillzhavays]

"But not all electrics performed equally. Vehicles with a back-up gasoline engine like the Chevrolet Volt sold strongly, while pure electrics such as the Nissan Leaf lagged."

This is a BS argument sure to lauded, copied & pasted and generally spouted by Obama-nation ad nauseum. Look, occupy is already going full bore.

Whenever I see a "percentage" argument with grand statements showing the Percent first, I always know it's going to be something like "Green Ketchup sales soar 500% last month!!!!"

Then you find out the previous month they only sold 6 bottles of ketchup same month prior year, and this time they sold 30 bottles, compared to 9 million bottles of red ketchup. Big whoop. Same thing applies here.

[occupy_cbs]

madmatthew56: "Basically, Volt haters = crazies who watch Fox News all day and read nothing online but Breitbart and World Nut Daily".



Absolutely, and then those haters come here to CBS to post their drivel, like a good fox/rush/breitbart parrot!

[EmpireGeorge______--]

says the crazy hater, that can't resist but post drivel and attacks daily.

[occupy_cbs]

SXBB July 23, 2012 11:28 AM EDT
"I own a 2012 Chevy Volt. I've been driving 35 years & it's the best car I've ever owned. I look forward to driving it every day and I use almost no gas at all! Don't believe the naysayers who've never even driven one. It's an awesome ride and a testament to what can be accomplished by American engineers when a company really gets behind them! Political BS is just that, BS."




Thanks for the input, from a real Volt owner and driver, counteracting the spin and conservitard propaganda from the fox/rush peanut gallery of ignorant posters!

[sjc_1]

Jay Leno has a Volt that he drives to the studio close to his home. He has put in about 10 gallons of gasoline over 10,000 miles. That is not bad averaging 1000 miles per gallon :)

[occupy_cbs]

Why do all you constipated conservatrolls just have to attack all clean and green technology in the first place?

If YOU don't like solar PV or solar hot water panels, don't buy them.

If YOU don't like wind turbines, don't buy one.

If YOU don't like hybrids and EV's, don't buy them, and stay close to the GAS pumps and pay the gouged and speculated prices.


But to post all the fox/rush propaganda you bozos do, it only makes YOU look totally ignorant, as other Americans are making their FREEDOMS and LIBERTIES known to others like YOU that want to deny them their unalienable rights, buy driving a Prius or a Volt!

Hybrid and electric sales soar as gas prices fall, so live with it!

[Ulgnud]

Get a life.

[sjc_1]

They don't like a $7500 rebate for a Volt using THEIR money. They act like it is THEIR air they breath and it is THEIR country that goes to war for oil. It is OUR air and OUR country. The most good for the most people should be our guiding principle.

[occupy_cbs]

UnAmerican: "Pitiful spin by CBS!.....it cost the U.S. taxpayer well over $100,000 per car to manufacture!"




Aaaaaaah, the bobsy twins -- conservatrolls with an agenda -- both UnAmerican and georgie boy, sure have swallowed the fox/rush propaganda and are ready for another week ahead parroting their B.S.


Bad math makes claim that each Volt cost taxpayers $250,000 go viral

Oh, how easy it is to go viral on the Internet. All you have to do is be really, really bad at math. Or have an agenda. Here's how to play the game:

Start with a car that is already in the news and for some reason has turned into a political hot button. Something like, say, the Chevy Volt. Then, make up a completely bogus number about how much each one costs taxpayers and put it out there. Get Drudge involved. Sit back, relax and see your nonsense spread like wildfire.

When we first saw this story, we looked it over and figured the math was so skewed that no one would dare repeat it. But then all the conservatrolls with an agenda, did just that.....

http://green.autoblog.com/2011/12/26/bad-math-makes-claim-that-each-volt-cost-taxpayers-250-000-go-v/

[occupy_cbs]

Faulty Study Pegs Chevy Volt's Cost to Taxpayers at $250,000 Per Vehicle

A calculator in the wrong hands is a very dangerous thing. Case in point: Number crunching about the cost of the Chevy Volt by James Hohman, assistant director of fiscal policy at Michigan's Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Despite having a degree in economics from Northwood University, Mr. Hohman conveniently neglects any notion of research and development costs being amortized over an entire product cycle.

http://www.plugincars.com/250k-chevy-volt-111105.html

[occupy_cbs]

Oh....and here's the absolute proof that you're a fox/rush parrot:

Media Fail: Chevy Volt Makes NO Money, Costs Taxpayers Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars Per Car

Read more: http://nation.foxnews.com/chevy-volt/2012/07/17/media-fail-chevy-volt-makes-no-money-costs-taxpayers-hundreds-thousands-dollars-car#ixzz21TKQgu2h


LOL!

[unclebernies]

The volt is an awesome car. It will only get better from here on out.

[Ulgnud]

Despite the liberal politically correct hype, there are genuine advantages for an electric or hybrid vehicle. Especially for short range use. They will have to bring the prices down to something reasonable though for a lot of us. This is not new concept technology. Electric cars were there before gas burners. As far as drop in fuel prices, the gouging has gone up nearly 20 cents where I live. Since Obama publicly stated his support for high prices during his campaigning for his first term, I suspect the prices will remain high while he is in office. After he is out, depends on the next Administration` and Congress's willingness to get the price gouging under control.

[paulscott9]

I know many people think that all we need to do is get a conservative in the White House and he'll let the oil flow and we'll all have cheaper gas. You must have a very short memory. When Bush was ruining the economy and the election was heating up in 2008, Bush and his cronies (Condoleeza Rice and Dick Cheney) all made pilgrimages to the Saudi King trying to talk him into increasing production to drive the price down since the record $4+ prices were hurting the incumbent's party in the election. Try as they might, the King refused, and the first black man was elected President. All this is not to say I favor one party over the other, its to say that the President has very little say over what the price of gas is.

If you think the oil companies are going to lower gas prices because a Republican is in office, you'll be terribly disappointed. They will squeeze every dollar out of any and everybody they can. Your only alternative is to drive a car that doesn't use gas.

I've been driving on solar generated electricity for ten years/109,000 miles. My electric bill average about $100 PER YEAR for both the house and my car! My car needs virtually no maintenance and it drives like a bat outta hell. It's very fast and smooth as glass. If you haven't riven one, don't criticize them. Go to the Chevy dealer or a Nissan dealer and drive the Volt and LEAF and see for yourself.

[Ulgnud]

Paulscot9. The price gouging started when Pres Carter lifted the price controls. We have controls on our utility bills through the Public Utilities Commission. Otherwise those prices would be completely crazy too. Since we are exporting our refined product it is easy to see why we are being gouged. As I stated the next Administration and Congress will have to be willing to get the gouging under control. After Obama's and the liberal Congress's performance no Democrat will get my vote for a long time to come. As for the other, the practicality of an electric vehicle is obvious. I am not willing to be ripped off at the showroom for one. This is off the shelf technology. There is no reason for the high price except the public will pay so they will charge the high price.

[SXBB]

I own a 2012 Chevy Volt. I've been driving 35 years & it's the best car I've ever owned. I look forward to driving it every day and I use almost no gas at all! Don't believe the naysayers who've never even driven one. It's an awesome ride and a testament to what can be accomplished by American engineers when a company really gets behind them! Political BS is just that, BS.

[EmpireGeorge______--]

The commercials for the volt, are a little ridiculous.

One commercials, the woman says "I go to the gas station, so little, that I forget how to put gas in my car"......yeah, like if someone doesn't rent a hotel room for 3 months, they "forget" how.

Chevy's whole advertising is trying to make sure you know...."yes, this is a gasoline car, but you hardly ever fill-up"

of course, until you go on vacation and drive a couple thousand miles, then how's the range, SXBB ?

[madmatthew56]

I spent a very happy seven days test driving a Volt on a 1700 mile road trip and got 44 mpg when the small gas engine was on to charge the battery. Basically, Volt haters = crazies who watch Fox News all day and read nothing online but Breitbart and World Nut Daily.

[Tmeixner]

Mobilemavy- apparently the first half of this year 8,817 individuals, organizations or agencies disagreed with you on the price. Typically people do not buy when the price is outrageous.

[EmpireGeorge______--]

The price is outrageous, what are you talking about ?? they are like 40 grand give/take....typically liberals buy whatever the price, as long as it is green, clean and mean....then 40 grand is nothing. (youy'll have to ignore that you could have bought a 20k vehicle, and spent 20k on gas for the next 10 years, but nevermind those facts).

[WHAT-IS-HE-SMOKING]

But this is a free country and if they want to get a Chevy Volt great. It is up to THEM not YOU to decide.