Interest in hybrid, electric vehicles declines while gas prices fall

“We've sold half the amount of Priuses as last year. Gas prices are cheap,”

Chris Fleisher - TRIBLIVE - January 23, 2015



Car buyers are showing less interest in electric and hybrid vehicles amid falling gasoline prices, raising questions for manufacturers torn between a shifting market and regulatory demands for fuel efficiency.



The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in the United States has fallen $1.24 in the past year to $2.041 Thursday, according to AAA.



The result has been waning customer interest in the super-efficient — but often pricier — alternative-fuel cars that consumers scooped up when gas was above $3 per gallon.



After several years of gains, hybrid and electric car sales in Western Pennsylvania lost market share in the second half of last year, falling to 1.7 percent in the fourth quarter from 2 percent in the second, according to Detroit-based IHS Automotive. The market share for light trucks, considered gas guzzlers, jumped to 58.1 percent last year from 54.8 percent in 2013. ... [Read More]

Interest in hybrid, electric vehicles declines while gas prices fall