Jun
26
Hybrid desires at a peak - JD Power
June 26, 2008 |
JD Power and Associates (one of the biggest and most respected producers of auto-market statistics) has come out and confirmed to us what we already suspected: people are getting big into hybrids. A staggering 72% of consumers surveyed by JD claimed that they would definitely be interested in having hybrid power under the hood of their next vehicle. This is up from under 60% back in 2005.
Now, take this at face value, but JD decided to make things interesting and prove a real point by introducing probably the biggest factor of all to the auto-buying public into their survey: price. After asking the above question (would you consider hybrid power) without any other factors, the surveyor’s informed each participant of the current estimated $5,000 premium that most hybrids carry. What do you think happened to the 78% then?
Well, its a pretty obvious result - the 78% suddenly became 46% in this years survey, when their environmental / green ambitions were put in perspective beside what is a considerable sum for most households.
Interestingly, the survey also found that hybrids were really winning out over other ‘green’ auto techology - with negative connotations of ‘Diesel’ power still serving to put people off even new, ‘green diesels’. So food for thought for all those manufacturers eagerly rushing clean Diesel models to the (US)market, but also for the hybrid manufacturers who need to figure out how to do what they’re doing - but for less.
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