Sales of Hybrids Continue to Climb in May, But Not At April Pace

Washington DC June 2, 2005; The AIADA newsletter reported that Hybrid sales in the U.S. increased 2.3 times in May, up from 7,275 units last year to 16,887 units, but results for all automakers were down from the pace in April, reports Green Car Congress.

Results for the month were as follows: “Sales of the market-leading Prius dropped back below 10,000 to post the car’s third strongest month to date. Combined with the 2,931 units of the Lexus Rx400h--the strongest of its two months of sales--Toyota captured 73 percent of all hybrid sales for the month.

Honda saw a sharp drop in sales of the Civic hybrid--down 40 percent to 1,895 from May 2004. Sales of the Honda Accord hybrid likewise sputtered a bit, dropping back to 1,314, but still representing its third strongest month. Sales of the Insight dropped back to 52 units, a decrease of 60 percent from May 2004; and Ford’s Escape hybrid also dropped back off of its pace from the prior two months, posting 1,234 units--it’s third strongest month as well.”