New data shows that hybrid cars are sold at dealerships three times faster than electric cars.
According to research site Edmunds, the vehicles are now also being sold twice as fast as gasoline cars.
A traditional hybrid vehicle has a gas combustion engine and an electric motor – a battery – that both work together to drive the car.
Last month, hybrids typically flew off dealer lots within 25 days, Edmunds found, while electric vehicles took an average of 72 days. Gas-powered cars are typically sold after 52 days.
It comes at a time when hybrid vehicles have overtaken fully electric and gasoline-powered cars to take the lead in this year’s closely watched Consumer Reports rankings of top cars.
According to research site Edmunds, the vehicles are now also being sold twice as fast as gasoline cars and three times as fast as electric cars
Partially ‘electrified’ vehicles made up six of the top 10 choices released by the testing organization.
The 2024 ranking includes three hybrid vehicles, three plug-in hybrids and one fully electric car: the Tesla Model Y.
Plug-in hybrids have the same design as a regular hybrid, with a petrol engine and an electric motor.
But they are equipped with a larger battery and motor that works independently of the gas engine to power the car.
This means that they can drive a certain number of kilometers on electric power – usually between 20 and 40 kilometers – before they have to rely on the gas engine.
According to Edmunds, plug-in hybrids typically sell in February after 65 days on the lot.
Hybrid cars have made up only a small portion of the U.S. market since the Toyota Prius introduced the technology more than two decades ago, according to The Wall Street Journal.
In recent years, they have taken a back seat to all-electric cars as the Biden administration has introduced federal tax breaks as an incentive for Americans to switch to electric cars.
But as interest in electric cars begins to wane, many automakers have started expanding their hybrid offerings.
Toyota, for example, has a hybrid version of almost every gasoline-powered vehicle in its US showrooms.
In November last year, the company announced that the best-selling Camry would only be available as a hybrid from 2024.
According to Edmunds, hybrids made up 8.9 percent of the U.S. market share in February 2024 – a 45 percent increase from the previous year.
Electric vehicles, meanwhile, accounted for 6.5 percent, up 1 percent year-on-year.
Despite the boost from federal tax credits, interest in electric vehicles has waned across the country
The ninth generation Toyota Camry (photo) will only be available as a hybrid from 2024
According to The Wall Street Journal, sales of hybrids in the US increased by 50 percent in the first two months of this year.
This outpaced electric cars, which grew by 13 percent.
Experts say one of the main appeals of a hybrid car is that it eliminates the so-called “range anxiety” that comes with an electric car, and consumers no longer have to sacrifice quality or horsepower compared to a gasoline car.
Hybrid prices have also fallen compared to gasoline or diesel models, the outlet reported.
For the 2024 model year, the average sticker price on hybrids was about 9 percent higher than a comparable gasoline car, compared to a 43 percent premium in 2007, according to data from private equity firm Mobility Impact Partners.
In some parts of America, electric vehicles are much more popular than others. For example, they accounted for 40 percent of purchases in San Jose last year, but only 3 percent in ‘Motor City’ Detroit – how does your city compare?