Hybrid-Vehicle Sales Keep Gaining Ground Nationwide

SYRACUSE - According to the Green Car Congress (GCC), an organization that researches and promotes alternative energy, sales of hybrid cars in the United States show no signs of slowing.

In February 2007, total hybrid vehicle sales nationwide rose 52 percent from the previous February to more than 22,998 units, according to the GCC.

Hybrids included in the figures are the Toyota Prius, Camry, and Highlander; Nissan Altima Hybrid; Lexus Rx 400h and GS 450h; Honda Civic and Accord; and Ford Escape and Mariner.

General Motors has not yet introduced its hybrids, which are not included in the figures, according to the GCC.

The Toyota Prius sold 12,227 units, making February 2007 the best month yet for the hybrid, which was first released in 2000. The February figures represent an 87 percent rise in Prius sales over the year earlier period.

Prius sales accounted for more than half of all hybrids sold in February.

Toyota sold 3,332 hybrid Camry units in February. The company sold 1,892 units of the Highlander hybrid in February, a drop of 28 percent from a year earlier.

The demand is still high for hybrids at Syracuse-based Romano Toyota-Scion, says Brandon Catalone, sales and Internet consultant.

"We are usually selling five or six hybrids a month," Catalone says.

Romano Toyota-Scion offers three hybrid models: the Prius, the Camry, and the Highlander sports utility vehicle (SUV). According to Catalone, the dealership sold two Prius models and four Highlanders in January 2007.

In February, the dealership sold eight Prius models, five Highlanders, and four Camry models.

There is currently no waiting list for hybrids at Romano, Catalone says. The dealership has seven Prius models currently in stock with a couple more coming in.

"Production of the cars has stepped up over the past 12 months," Catalone says. "Demand now meets availability."

Catalone says the winter helped to replenish the supply of Prius models at the dealership because consumers bought more SUVs.

The Prius models have five warranty coverages for anyone questioning the new technology, including a basic 36-month coverage of all components and the 60month powertrain coverage of the engine, transmission, front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, seatbelts, and airbags, Catalone says.

"The cars now have a track record that is impeccable," Catalone says.

Today, hybrid buyers include anyone who is fuel-conscious, he adds.

"The demographic used to be more environmentalists, professors, and teachers," he explains.

Hybrids traditionally deliver fewer emissions while improving gas mileage.

According to Toyota, the Prius has near zero tailpipe emissions and zero evaporative emissions. According to hybrid-car.org - a hybrid-car information Web site hybrid cars generally produce 80 percent less harmful emissions and greenhouse gases than comparable gasoline cars.

The 2007 Toyota Prius produces 3.4 tons of greenhouse gases per year while the 2007 Honda Civic produces 3.7 tons, according to the United States Department of Energy.

The push for hybrid vehicles is not limited to cars and SUVs. The Central New York Regional Transportation Authority, parent company of CENTRO, has unveiled a new fleet of nine hybrid-diesel buses designed to provide quieter and more environmentally friendly services to Syracuse.

Each of the hybrid buses cost $466,000 a piece, says Steven Koegel, communications manager for CENTRO. The- hybrids bring CENTRO's bus fleet in Syracuse to 181 - 22 smaller buses and 159 full-sized buses, 120 of which are compressed-natural gas buses and nine hybrid vehicles.

The State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry helped to make the technology possible, according to CENTRO.

Copyright Central New York Business Journal Apr 06, 2007

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