Americans See Japanese Automakers More Committed Than American Counterparts in the Hybrid Race

More Consumers Seriously Consider Hybrids - Paradigm Shift?

ORADELL, N.J., Oct. 18 -- A large share of Americans see Toyota (41%) and Honda (40%) as being committed to making hybrid vehicles as widely used as their gasoline counterparts. Ford (14%), General Motors (13%) and Chrysler (8%) were viewed much less positively. Nissan (17%) and Volkswagen, at 17% and 16%, did slightly better.

"American automakers have to aggressively engage the public to change how they are being perceived," said Raghavan Mayur, president of TechnoMetrica Market Intelligence, which released the first of a three-part series of reports on hybrid vehicles and alternative fuels.

TechnoMetrica surveyed 1,011 American consumers in September for its report.

Gasoline prices are helping to increase the appeal for hybrid cars that get better mileage by combining a gasoline engine with a battery-powered electric. More than half (55%) of U.S. car buyers are now likely to consider a hybrid for their next vehicle purchase.

"Persistently high gas prices are helping to change how Americans view hybrids," said Mayur.

In addition, TechnoMetrica found that more than half (56%) of Americans believe that hybrid cars are needed if the U.S. is to become less dependent on foreign oil controlled by fickle despots, psychotic terrorists and a sometimes furious Mother Nature. And a majority (51%) thinks dependence on foreign oil is the single biggest threat facing the U.S. economy.

"The proof is in the pudding. You just have to ask what is behind September's 90% surge in the sales of the hybrid Toyota Prius gas-electric hybrid mid-size sedan," said Mayur.

  Here are a few of the key findings of the research:

   -- Fifty-five percent of Americans says high gasoline prices are hurting
      them financially.

   -- The appeal of hybrids tends to increase with both income and
      education. From the 51% of households with incomes below $30,000 who
      say that they'd consider a hybrid car for their next purchase, the
      percentage steadily climbs to 68% for incomes above $75,000.

   -- Fuel efficiency now trumps the environment as hybrids' key attraction.
      Fifty-seven percent say that they care more about fuel efficiency than
      environmental friendliness (23%).

Americans sense a lack of commitment, however, from the three players crucial to making hybrid vehicles as common as their gasoline counterparts -- the government, auto manufacturers and consumers.