Are We Near Critical Mass on Fuel-Efficent Car Demand? - GreenHybrid

Delta Flyer · #1 (**permalink**) 05-24-2006, 08:07 AM

Consumer's Reports has skeptics here, but they report one out of three Americans are considering trading to a more fuel-efficient vehicle. Half of those considering a change are looking at hybrids.

Quote:

Originally Posted by [b]Consumer Reports

[/b]
Fifty-five percent of those who are considering replacing their vehicle are planning to get a small car. About 20 percent are considering a family sedan or small SUV. Fewer than five percent are considering a luxury sedan or large SUV, according to the Consumer Reports survey.

CNN Story

GM has a fix for this: offer $1.99 gas for it's new buyers.

Pravus Prime · #2 (**permalink**) 05-24-2006, 04:20 PM

I'd say not yet, but we're getting close.

Unfortunately, things have to become almost radically hostile for the environment to be set to get most drivers to look at more fuel efficient vehicles.

Delta Flyer · #3 (**permalink**) 05-24-2006, 04:24 PM

If one hissed-off OPEC nation like Iran cut off oil for a month, that should do it.

foo monkey · #4 (**permalink**) 05-24-2006, 04:43 PM

FTA:
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - More than a third of American drivers say they are considering getting rid of their current vehicle in favor of something more fuel efficient, according to a national survey by Consumer Reports magazine.

That means nearly 2/3 are not considering switching. "Considering switching" doesn't mean comitting to the switch, like many of us have.

It's just another article written by someone who read a survey and wants some column inches to make his car payment.

leahbeatle · #5 (**permalink**) 05-24-2006, 05:03 PM

Well, but how many people are actively looking for a new car at any given time? I would have guessed less than a third, although perhaps that many or more are thinking ahead to the next car they're going to buy. I think a third is a huge number, and the two thirds that aren't 'considering getting rid of their current vehicle' are probably mostly planning to drive their current car for a while longer.

Since I just bought a hybrid last fall, I'm not 'considering switching' as you say, so I wouldn't have popped up in that survey, either. It all depends on how you frame the question. What about the large number of people who already drive small cars? They mostly can't really consider going smaller if they already have compacts, unless the mini-Cooper is going through a boom I don't know about. Maybe not too many people have hybrids, but a lot of people drive compacts. Anyone know the numbers?