July 16,640 Prius, down from 19,150 in June

When you read the blurb, hybrid cars simply used June's percentage sales and applied them to the prius liftback, prius v, and prius c. Toyota has not yet broken down july numbers for us. Until they do, I would not assume Prius c sales fell.

July Fusion numbers are meaningless, ford is getting rid of the 2012s before the 2013s go to dealers. The real test comes when the c-max and 2013 fusion hybrids and energis are on dealer lots in quantity.

Camry, Sonata, and 2013 fusions hybrids represent a good oportunty for continued growth. These cars are very similar to their high selling ice only versions, but provide much better city mileage. We can hope they can get 10% of a very large mid size sedan with trunk market.

Lexus ct200 seems like a hit, and a much better compromise than the hs250.

The malibu and other gm eco models are e-assist, not really hybrids. They aren't that far from honda's mild hybrids though.

 

eAssist is their name for their 2nd gen BAS mild-hybrid system.

The Malibu's been getting more activity because GM was selling the '13 Malibu in eAssist form only (before the non-eAssist) versions alongside ther '12 Malibu non-hybrids.

I think GM's now having more market success by ditching the hybrid moniker, where they're ridiculed for poor performance and little improvement and instead calling them Eco (for the Malibu) or eAssist.

 

It seems like an improved system, but gm likely changed the name because of backlash against calling such a mild hybrid system. It does have a beefed up 15 KW alternator that can do regen braking and supply power, and a lithium battery. It can also do start stop, and likely has other changes. It only gets the similar if slightly worse fuel efficiency as the new altima, and the 2013 fusion 1.6L eco-boost. Ford offers start stop on that engine as a $300 option, with a beefier alternator, beefier lead acid battery, and an electric pump for the hydraulic fluid for automatic transmissions.

Really the gm system is not much different from the honda system. The motor does hang off the ice with a belt, instead of off the shaft. If one's a hybrid the other is a hybrid. From a functional point of view though, that fusion gives you the efficiency and start stop of a mild hybrid. The 2013 hybrid fusion though does pump it up to 45mpg.

 

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Not sure about the Malibu e-assist in the list of Hybrids. Other cars like the regular Camry is at 28mpg and the Nissan Altima with 31mpg combined.​

Compare Side-by-Side

 

Yeah, the '13 Malibu eAssist's combined is pretty underwhelming compared to cheaper vehicles that Sersiospl points out. The only people that seem interested in it are GM fanboys...

I've never driven a GM BAS hybrid, but as I posted at Test drive event discussion thread | PriusChat, the BMW 328i with auto-start/stop makes pretty amusing sounds. On restart, it sounds very much like the sounds you hear on conventional cars when starting, but just w/much shorter duration. You NEVER hear these types of sounds being emitted from HSD hybrids.

Along these lines, I'd seen some chatter about the '12 BMW 3-series alternator. From one of BMW's press releases:

Anyway, so not quite mild-hybrid but a step further than just auto-start/stop.

 

lol. Technically I don't see much of a difference between the honda system and the gm system. If ones a hybrid so is the other. From an efficiency point of view though honda uses atkinson engines and cvt transmissions. Both use lithium batteries and about the same size motors. I do hear weird noises from my prius if I don't have the stereo up loud enough. I have no idea what the eAssist sounds like, but it probably sounds louder at starts, but more normal the rest of the time.

But, the malibu is not in the same efficiency ballpark as the camry, sonata, or fusion hybrids. Since we are mainly concerned about efficiency in this hybrid mid size market, lets do the cut off around 33 mpg combined - 2011 camry hybrid cut off. The 2013 fusion start/stop and altima with cvt come close with 30mpg and 31 mpg respectively. Both of those have some things in common with the full hybrids. The lines get blurry. Even the conventional 2012 toyota camry gets 28mpg.

 

^^^
Tax credit on hybrids that aren't PHEVs ended awhile ago, for all manufacturers.

I have driven a FFH briefly, I think 2x at an autoshow earlier this year. Ford was out front offering test drives. It was a decent car and I liked the displays.

IIRC, their Focus had broken down so it wasn't available.