All About Japan Autos

Despite all the hype surrounding hybrid and electric cars, some people just aren’t buying it. According to a new study, “some people” are most consumers.

“Combined global sales of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are expected to total 5.2 million units in 2020, or just 7.3 percent of the 70.9 million passenger vehicles forecasted to be sold worldwide by that year,” says JD Power and Associates.

Why will only 7.3 percent of new car buyers fork over their cash for a hybrid or electric car in 2020? Aren’t we all supposed to be driving electric cars (that can fly!) by then?

The Wall Street Journal says “the biggest obstacle for consumers when deciding to buy an alternative-energy vehicle is the price–often significantly higher than comparable models that aren’t hybrid-electric or battery-operated.”

Take, for example, the Chevrolet Volt. It costs $40,280 before federal tax cuts. That’s a tough pill for Chevy buyers to swallow.

According to Autoblog, in order for there to be increased demand for hybrid and electric cars, we’ll need to see a spike in the “price of oil, a significant decrease in the costs of green technologies,” and global government intervention.

“Based on currently available information, none of these scenarios are believed to be likely during the next 10 years,” says JD Power.

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