May Hybrid Sales

As I've commented before, the Malibu Eco (aka 2nd gen BAS mild hybrid) is doing a lot better in sales than the 1st gen Malibu hybrid. I guess it was a good strategy on GM's part to only offer (for the 2013 model year) the Eco version first and then have the non-Eco versions show up later.

I'm not sure of the pricing on the '13 Eco vs. future non-Eco, but I suspect the '13 Eco's sales will drop if the non-Eco turns out to be significantly cheaper.

 

Actually, I see virtually no reason for a non-hybrid. Even the stop start technology saves fuel in city driving.
Sometimes I think the general public doesn't WANT to understand.
I have found no actual description of the system from GM but I assume it eliminates the starter.
Any further info would be appreciated, just to satisfy my curiosity.

 

Hey, I like the fact that the GM Hybrids are finally selling... And the reason they released the 2013 eco was their new engine wasn't ready and the hybrid was...

 

Non-hybrids are getting better at a pretty good clip. I just looked at mileage on the Malibu "mild hybrid". 25/37. Not bad, right? Until you find out that the 4 cylinder 2013 Altima--no hybrid at all--is rated at a segment leading 27/38. That is really very good for a midsize sedan that doesn't cost much money.

The prospective buyer, most of them, care about what they get for the money, not any environmental impact, and the case can be made by many to buy, for example, a 4 cylinder Altima over a Prius: it's larger, faster, and although it does drink more gas it's also cheaper.

I just checked truecar and the market average for a Prius in my area is $24,600. The market average for a 2012 Altima (2013 was redesign, so Nissan may be "throwing these away", to some extent) is $18,700. So, the Altima is larger, faster, drives better, and saves $6k, which buys an awful lot of gas. If you want to know why people still buy non-hybrids, that's why.

 

Sorry, we haven't figured out how to do a table, yet. Regardless, this report does a good job of showing the total, high mileage vehicle market:

Units Model
13,053 Toyota Prius

4,644 VW Jetta
4,403 Toyota Camry
3,693 Prius c
3,645 Prius v

1,981 VW Passat
1,869 Hyundai Sonata
1,680 Chevrolet Volt (*)
1,642 Chevy Malibu Hybrid
1,549 Lexus CT 200h
1,218 BMW X5
1,202 Buick LaCrosse
1,086 Prius PHV (*)
1,011 Lexus RX400/450h

881 VW Golf
810 Kia Optima
708 Honda Civic
683 Ford Fusion
567 Mercedes ML320
560 Toy. Highlander
512 Honda Insight
510 Nissan LEAF (*)
480 Linc. MKZ Hybrid

<the rest>

There appears to a clustering of numbers similar to what I've done above. I can't explain it but I see the boundaries in the data. Regardless, the sub-compact, Volt did well falling between the Hyundai Sonata and Chevy Malibu Hybrid.

Bob Wilson

 

i'm shocked at fusion v camry, i thought they were a lot closer.

 

that's what we're planning. numbers make sense then.

 

I actually tried to buy a 2010 Fusion and they didn't even offer the lower end product in my market. Only offered a 30K vehice... I bet the 2013 will be the same..

 

There is no lower end Fusion hybrid.
Before the 2012my, the Camry hybrid had no lower end model either.
For the Japanese market, Toyota decided to go hybrid only with the Camry, which required offering it in the different trims. So they just brought them over here. Allowing them to advertise a price much lower than the better equipped Fusion. There isn't even have a MFD on the LE. Something Prius drivers have come to expect in a hybrid.

On the build page of the 2013 Fusion Ford has up for survey purposes, there is only one trim for the hybrid. The hybrid does bear a trim designation like the non hybrids though. So it is possible a less expensive hybrid trim will be available. The energi wasn't even listed.

Manufacturers do tend to ship only the fully loaded trims of new models first. I won't be surprised if Ford does so with the Fusion hybrid.

 

As expensive as the Lexus RX is - their sales killed the hi-hy - even though they're very very similar. That corroborates what I'm seeing around town ... about a 2 to 1 ratio.