Hybrid/EV owners are trading to SUVs...

[TomT]

"Car buyers are trading in hybrid and electric cars for SUVs at a higher rate than ever before, according to a new analysis from car-buying platform Edmunds.com. The analysis offers a surprising look at how today's gas prices are drawing hybrid and EV owners toward gas-guzzling vehicles at a much more accelerated pace than in recent years."

http://www.edmunds.com/about/press/hybrid-and-electric-vehicles-struggle-to-maintain-owner-loyalty-reports-edmundscom.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[ishiyakazuo]

Huh, that's funny, but not surprising... I kind of had the thought of "I should go get an EV now while gas prices are low" for just that reason. The vast majority of people are short-sighted.

 

[desiv]

My comment aligns with some in the article thread..
They are lumping EVs with Hybrids, so it's tricky to tell what the state really is for EVs..
It's long been known that Hybrid owners are more likely to be driven by gas prices.
Approaching the end of the year (before the sales dropped), EV's (Leaf in particular) were doing well in sales while gas prices were down. But Hybrids were already having issues..
I didn't have enough data to say "gas prices are killing hybrid sales," but it would have been a valid thought to consider...

EV owners, not as much.. But where and how much???
Would have been nice to see the numbers broken out..

desiv

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

Correspondingly, quoting a percentage of hybrid/ev drivers trading for an SUV in isolation is sensationalism. Sounds like the overwhelming majority are re-upping on advanced technology powertrains. But how many (like me) opted to switch to an economical gas car rather than an SUV? How many (like me) are lying in wait for improved EV options to become available? And how many SUV drivers traded for EVs or hybrids?

People change vehicles for lots of reasons. Maybe their commute got longer or their family size increased.

 

[GRA]

Correspondingly, quoting a percentage of hybrid/ev drivers trading for an SUV in isolation is sensationalism. Sounds like the overwhelming majority are re-upping on advanced technology powertrains. But how many (like me) opted to switch to an economical gas car rather than an SUV? How many (like me) are lying in wait for improved EV options to become available? And how many SUV drivers traded for EVs or hybrids?

People change vehicles for lots of reasons. Maybe their commute got longer or their family size increased.

45% is not an overwhelming majority, or a majority at all. "Never before have loyalty rates for alt-fuel vehicles fallen below 50%." I think what is happening is that aside from gas prices affecting sales of hybrids, we're seeing many of the early adopters lose the stars from their eyes. The infatuation period is over, and having lived with the cars for some years they're now willing and able to make a more objective assessment of AFVs, particularly relatively expensive, low-range BEVs.

The mix of AFVs has certainly changed around here in the past year or so, as LEAFs came off lease. Although I'm not suggesting they've disappeared, PHEVs like the PiP, Volt and even CMax/Fusion seem to be more prominent numbers-wise now than sub-$40k BEVs, although the 500e seems to still be doing reasonably well (presumably due to its looks). There's also no shortage of Teslas and a fair number of i3s; I've even seen an i8. But toys for the rich are a different category than workaday commute cars, and I think a lot of early adopters have come to the conclusion that the current gen. of affordable, limited-range BEVs is too limiting in capability for the price, and are opting out until the next gen with much better range arrives, meaning no need to worry about using heat/defrost or that the slightest deviation from routine will mean you may not be able to get home. In other words, "Hey! I'm driving a BEV!" is no longer enough, and they now insist that it meet the same basic capabilities that they'd require of any other commute car, at a reasonable price.

 

[LeftieBiker]

When you incentivize people with little or no interest in being environmentally friendly to buy a hybrid to save money and/or time (think HOV lane passes), it should then be no surprise when they show no loyalty to the vehicles that, for them, were just...vehicles. Gas gets cheaper, so they trade the Prius for what they really would have preferred all along.

 

[TomT]

Yep! My experience with the Leaf and its battery (not to mention advertised range) has admittedly left a bad taste in my mouth. And four years after leasing it, there is really nothing much better currently on the EV market at a similar price... So, I may go a different direction temporarily and sit it out for a few years...

But how many (like me) opted to switch to an economical gas car rather than an SUV? How many (like me) are lying in wait for improved EV options to become available?

 

[GRA]

I think a lot of early adopters have come to the conclusion that the current gen. of affordable, limited-range BEVs is too limiting in capability for the price, and are opting out until the next gen with much better range arrives, meaning no need to worry about using heat/defrost or that the slightest deviation from routine will mean you may not be able to get home. In other words, "Hey! I'm driving a BEV!" is no longer enough, and they now insist that it meet the same basic capabilities that they'd require of any other commute car, at a reasonable price.

More evidence of the above attitudinal shift, from a very dedicated EV enthusiast, via GCR:

Chevy Volt Vs Mitsubishi i-MiEV: This Volt Uses Less Gas Than Electric Car, Data Shows

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1097918_chevy-volt-vs-mitsubishi-i-miev-this-volt-uses-less-gas-than-electric-car-data-shows" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Part:

Another important note is that I recently began doing side jobs about 30 miles from where I live. In the winter, my range in the iMiEV could fall as low as 37 to 39 miles.

When my travel requirements changed, it was easy to make the adjustment in the Volt, but I couldn't have done this as easily in an i-MiEV, or even in a Nissan Leaf (with a range rating of 84 miles).

Additionally, I have been far more comfortable driving during the winter in the Volt--I no longer need to drive without heat. The limited range of the i-MiEV frequently forced me to turn off the heater in the dead of winter just to ensure I would arrive at my destination.

 

[GRA]

And some more, via ABG:

Ford will lay off 700 employees in Michigan
Cheap Gas Hampers Sales Of Compact And Green Cars

http://www.autoblog.com/2015/04/24/ford-will-lay-off-700-employees-in-michigan/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The plant in question makes Focus and C-Max. Meanwhile, sales of the Expedition and Navigator are up :roll:

 

[DesertSprings]

I've seen this over and over again. Gas prices go down, people start buying trucks and SUVs, when prices go up, people panic and start buying fuel efficient cars. Humans in general are horrible at long term planning.

I remember about a decade ago, when gas went from $1.80 to over $3/gallon in just a few months, (already 'ancient') used Geo Metros were in high demand, with news stories about how hard they were to find and people getting in bidding wars to purchase one, and you could pick up SUVs at huge savings as everyone was unloading them. The dealers had too much stock, and the used market was flooded with people selling their SUVs which they couldn't afford to fill up with gas anymore.

 

[minispeed]

It would be helpful to know what the people had before they had the hybrid/EV. If they traded it in last time from a truck based SUV then the savings were great for them. As truck based SUVs have gone to mostly car based CUVs and have become a lot more efficient them trading in the hybrid doesn't mean they don't care about efficiency just that the other choices aren't so inefficient anymore that it turns them away.

 

[GRA]

On the positive side, the slowdown of PHEV sales in California may mean that there are still a few green stickers around when the 2016 Volt appears. As of 4/8/15, CARB said they'd issued 63,255 out of the 70,000, so there are still 6,745 left. OTOH, I expect there will be some screaming deals on 2015s as dealers try to clear them out of inventory, so maybe not.

 

[smkettner]

Could it be because there are more EV/Hybrid owners every day?
Life changes and a different vehicle is needed... No real news here to me.

 

[GRA]

Yet another case of someone deciding that he's not willing to put up with the current limitations, via ievs:

Nissan LEAF Owner Discusses His 2-Year Experience With Electric Car – Explains Why He’ll Never Get Another LEAF – Video

http://insideevs.com/nissan-leaf-owner-discusses-2-year-experience-electric-car-explains-hell-never-get-another-leaf-video/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Zythryn]

Yet another case of someone deciding that he's not willing to put up with the current limitations, via ievs:

Nissan LEAF Owner Discusses His 2-Year Experience With Electric Car – Explains Why He’ll Never Get Another LEAF – Video

http://insideevs.com/nissan-leaf-owner-discusses-2-year-experience-electric-car-explains-hell-never-get-another-leaf-video/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Sounds like the Leaf wasn't the right car for him.
If I'm talking to someone that is not willing to put a 240 outlet in their garage I would most likely steer them away from any BEV.

 

[GRA]

Yet another case of someone deciding that he's not willing to put up with the current limitations, via ievs:

Nissan LEAF Owner Discusses His 2-Year Experience With Electric Car – Explains Why He’ll Never Get Another LEAF – Video

http://insideevs.com/nissan-leaf-owner-discusses-2-year-experience-electric-car-explains-hell-never-get-another-leaf-video/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Sounds like the Leaf wasn't the right car for him.
If I'm talking to someone that is not willing to put a 240 outlet in their garage I would most likely steer them away from any BEV.

In general, I agree. A PHEV seems like it would have been a much better fit for him.