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hybrid sales October 2012

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by austingreen, Nov 1, 2012.

  1. austingreen

    austingreen Senior Member

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    Figures are starting to trickle in from October

    Toyota Sales Temper With A 16.8% Increase In October Sales - Lexus Sales Soften Up 9.7% For Month - AutoSpies Auto News

    Volt Sales Set Record in October 2012, Nissan LEAF Also Rises | PluginCars.com

    More details should follow soon, this is from other sources
    prius phv - 1889
    prius v - 2769
    c-max - 3182
    fusion + escape - 1430

    I don't have a break out of prius liftback/c yet but are combined at 12,116 compared to 14,192 last month.
     
  2. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    I'm not sure if you can edit your OP, but I think it'd help in the future to include the month and year... unless you plan to make this a running thread for all future hybrid sales discussion/posts.
     
  3. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

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  4. austingreen

    austingreen Senior Member

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    Thanks its been changed and fotomoto's data has been added. The biggest missing number is the camry hybrid which was the number 2 seller last month.
     
  5. SlowTurd

    SlowTurd I LIKE PRIUS'S

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    hopefully, after sandy, hybrid sales on the east coast will soar for november.
     
  6. ItsNotAboutTheMoney

    ItsNotAboutTheMoney EditProfOptInfoCustomUser Title

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    I expect the sales bit into Prius sales, but I expect that to decrease over the next few months as people find the real-world mileage is relative poor compared to the EPA rating. However, I think that the other positive attributes of the C Max (including the US assembly) will help it add to hybrid market share.
     
  7. austingreen

    austingreen Senior Member

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    I'm not sure about that reasoning. Didn't hybrid sales increase largely when the Prius was charged with poor real world mileage. That is why I dislike the non instrumented tests. Many articles were out on the gen I and gen II that if you don't drive it differently you will get about the same mileage as a regular econobox. The c-max may require that you gulp have to use cruze control on the highway and not jack rabbit between lights.

    Prius v, and c, expanded choice and raised hybrid sales. I would think the c-max and fusion hybrids and engeri will make their owners happy with fuel economy. Let's check back in a year.

    Hybrid sales this year will for the first time exceed 2007
    December 2007 Dashboard | Hybrid Cars

    The prius has done very well this year, you might expect that sales might drop back down a little as buyers find shinier, newer models
     
  8. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

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    I hope the cmax/fusion hybrids will bring in new customers to the hybrid fold and not vampire existing hybrid owners looking to update. It's purely anecdotal evidence but it really seems like the majority of PIP buyers here on the forum are mainly previous Prius owners.
     
  9. Mike500

    Mike500 Senior Member

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    I've had experience with Fords for over 50 years. I even owned an original 1971 Pinto.

    I try to stay away from Fords.
     
  10. ItsNotAboutTheMoney

    ItsNotAboutTheMoney EditProfOptInfoCustomUser Title

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    Well, you'll see all the upgrades of existing members. But, I think of the PiP as a Prius HEV+P, meaning that it's still a Prius, just better and with some more EV miles. So, it's not surprising that most sales are existing owners who'd already seen the advantages of hybrids and like the Prius enough to buy another one.

    I expect the Volt would be different because it seems GM focused on performance and feel in order to broaden the appeal. They're also offering cheap leases. If GM ever makes a more basic "Cruze Plug-in" I think you'd see more people coming via hybrids.
     
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  11. austingreen

    austingreen Senior Member

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    In 2007 the prius sold 181K in the US, this year it looks like the prius family will sell over 230K. That is much lower than you would predict from the steady increases in 2005-2007, but much better compared to 128K that sales had fallen to last year. Clearly without differentiation the prius would have continued with a decreasing market share. The phv definitely cannibalizes prius liftback sales, but without it these sales might be cannibalized by the leaf, volt, c-max energi, etc, so it was mandatory that toyota be in the game. Its the innovators delema. If you don't progress, your customers will flee to competitors. If you improve the produce (adding c, v, phv) then your old product suffers. It really was not a hard choice for toyota. The prius c appears to be a hit that grew market share, and isn't really a prius. The prius v didn't cost much in R&D and gets a higher ASP. The prius phv was the only delema car, and I expect the gen IV will be a stronger phv entry as toyota sees US not Japanese sales are driving the plug-in market.

    The c-max likely is taking some prius sales but overall at least in October appears to have grown the hybrid market a little. The improved camry hybrid and its sibling the LEH also appears to be growing the market

    The question is whether this year is a blip, and we will start decreasing again like in 2007, or whether its a recovery and hybrid sales will continue to grow. I am hoping for the growth, but it may be slow.
     
  12. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Near as I can tell, a new model has about two months of 'grace' as the pent-up demand is satisfied. It is the third month that really tells the long term, relative sales ratio.

    The C-MAX is an interesting technical puzzle; 'Prius v' internal space but spotty, user MPG performance.

    Bob Wilson
     
  13. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    The collapse of the auto industry cannot just be overlooked.

    Damage from the Tsumani cannot just be overlooked either.

    Need I also point out the "we're all going to die" pedal scares?
     
  14. austingreen

    austingreen Senior Member

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    December - the 4th month (3rd full) is likely to be quite good. That's when dealers will start dealing and have inventory. The test will will be 2013:) Will the fun to drive and high gas mileage compensate for the sync system and the small storage with the back seats up in competition with the other small crossovers. Will a new group of customers like hybrid drive or will they want to stick with a conventional automatic?

    If all it does is compete with a prius wagon, its going to not sell well. There just aren't that many people that want that class.

    Its more of a question of if it grows the market. The escape hybrid did not sell enough units, maybe because fuel economy was not high enough compared to the normal SUV. Will people change their driving habits to save gas and like the car enough. I would expect at least 30,000 next year which will be good sales for ford.
    If
     
  15. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    How do you know that?

    I was shocked on my most recent trip up north. V was surprisingly abundant already. Is sure looked like Toyota taped into a demograph who like Prius but didn't get one since the regular model wasn't big enough.
     
  16. austingreen

    austingreen Senior Member

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    Well there seems to be a reason every year. In 2008/2009 it was the auto recession. In 2010 it was toyota really blundering its handling of the recalls. In 2011 it was the tsunami/thai flooding/yen. 2012 only has the yen. I hope toyota follows through and actually manufactures the gen IV in North America which would have limited these impacts. I hope that hybrid sales start back on their upward track from 2005-2007, I just am worried in 2013 and 2014 one more reason will drop hybrid sales back bellow 3%.
     
  17. austingreen

    austingreen Senior Member

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    As I said making a prius wagon was an obvous move. It sells to people who want a prius but it isn't quite big enough. These things naturally get a percentage of the base car. The prius v has done well this year.

    The problem for c-max is if it is only sold to people that want a hybrid, but the prius isn't quite big enough, it isn't going to do well. To do well they need to get to a group that wants a CUV, but want better mileage. Different segmentation. Toyota also can benefit by hitting this segmentation.
     
  18. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    1,889 appears to be the total for PHV.

    Note that it is still only available in less than 1/3 of the states.
     
  19. El Dobro

    El Dobro A Member

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    I'm curious to see if hybrids become more popular after all the fuel lines I've been driving past around here.
     
  20. rudiger

    rudiger Active Member

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    It appears that the new Ford EVs and hybrids are having electronic teething problems and glitches. To me, it's not suprising in that, from what I can see, Ford did some obvious cutting of corners in the design and engineering of their new cars. That will all do nothing but cut into future sales figures as consumers shy away from Ford EV products and go with more reliable competitors.

    It's too bad because the new Ford electrics have a lot going for them (on paper, anyway).