Looks like we are doing our part to lower demand

Yeah, the average fuel economy for a sedan in the US is still 21 mpg. I can't believe that. I wonder if someone could total the Prii sold in the US since 2007, then calculate the saved gallons of gas had those been 21 mpg sedans, with about 10-15K miles driven per year. Hmmmm, sounds like a job for a Prius nerd... checking google...

 

Okay, here we go:

Sales:
2007 :181,200 save 30 mpg over sedan
2008 :158,600 save 24 mpg over sedan
2009 :139,700 save 24 mpg over sedan
Sept. 2010 :103,300 save 27 mpg over sedan

If miles traveled per car was 12,500, that is many millions of miles per year that gas purchased was extended over the typical sedan.

Total gallons saved each year:

2007: 3.235M
2008: 2.265M + 3.235M
2009: 1.995M + 2.265M + 3.235M
2010: 1.660M + 1.990M + 2.265M + 3.235M

Total saved (assuming the 2010 sales are extended to Sept. 2011: 25.391M gallons.

So there you go.

 

No, the fraction of drivers who have switched is not large enough to create that much savings.

Other drivers have also saved fuel by switching to traditional but less-piggish gas guzzlers, but I suspect the extended economic downturn is the greatest single factor.

 

Statements like this is why non-Prius drivers hate us. This is exactly what they think we think.

I agree withya though.

 

I think there's a very simple answer for it (and it applies over here too).

Unemployed people don't have to drive to work and back every day!

 

Hey, us employed people don't have to drive to work and back every day either - I bike, and many others I work with take the bus, train, walk, or carpool... Heck, strictly speaking, I'd say many cab drivers don't have to drive to work either!

 

Cabbie is right, people without jobs have less places to go.

Priuses in the grand scheme of things are nothing more than statistical noise. Most cars are still regular ole ICE-only with lots of power. In my neighborhood of 80 houses or something I am the only hybrid owner, period. I am not even aware of an escape hybrid, fusion hybrid or anything like that. A lot of normal sedans like camrys but a huge proportion of suvs and minivans, too.

 

Yesterday it really heated up here to 70 degrees and i was able to enjoy a very steady 44.7-45 mpg with my prius. touring, ecopias 422's @ 42/40. one passenger, viewing properties, air on.

 

i'm up from 50 to 56 in the last few days so that's probably the 11% difference.

 

I think this drop is due to several things.

As the price of gas increases , demand decreases for many reasons:

People consolidate trips
People carpool
People use services closer to home
People use public transportation
People walk or bike
People have to decide between driving to do fun things or buying groceries.

Money doesn't grow on trees and the extra money for gas has to come from somwewhere. Now wouldn't it be interesting if the average price of a gallon of gas in 2011 is 11% higher than the average price of gas in 2007?. ( I mean average, not fear induced peaks as we are experiencing now.)

 

Exactly! When my dad was working, IIRC, he said he was getting gas about every week. He got laid off when his employer closed its doors and he was getting gas about once a month, if even that...

 

I don't know what the increase in unemployed was in the US, but say there are an extra 5million unemployed now compared to 2007. That's 5 million less daily trips to work and back.

You will also have the family where they are still in work but are getting pinched financially. Do they drive to work and back in their SUV or will the driver with the biggest journey swap cars with their partner/SO and take the smaller car (assuming this applies) instead?

I have noticed from my own town that traffic levels are significantly down compared to before the recession. Obviously this is subjective and non scientific, but there were some junctions/intersections (without traffic lights) where it was next to impossible to cross due to traffic levels, but now the traffic is much lower and I can pretty much cross these roads within seconds.