Are More People Buying Hybrids?

• Hybrid sales saw a big increase in April in the US.
• Sales of hybrid models were up 9.2 percent.
• Hybrids now account for 14.5 percent of all new vehicles sold.

You’ve probably driven past a gas station recently and noticed that prices are climbing—and quickly. While large swathes of Americans still refuse to drive electric vehicles, hybrids are having a bit of a moment.

According to data from the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), hybrid sales were up last month across America—and in a big way. Even with new-vehicle sales down 7.1 percent in April, marking the eighth straight year-over-year decline, hybrids actually saw an uptick.

NADA’s data shows that hybrid vehicle sales were up by 9.2 percent last month. It was the only powertrain segment to see growth in new-vehicle sales in April. Hybrids now account for 14.5 percent of all new vehicles sold, up 2.1 percent compared to the previous year.

EVs, meanwhile, haven’t been so lucky. The segment has reportedly dropped by 35.5 percent year-to-date, with the total market share falling to just 5.1 percent.

America’s Hottest Hybrids

Hyundai and Kia posted major gains in the hybrid-vehicle segment in April. The duo moved more than 40,000 hybrid models in the US last month, with hybrids making up 30 percent of the Korean automakers’ total monthly sales. Vehicles like the Sonata and the Sportage were among the biggest drivers.

According to a more detailed breakdown by Asia Today (as translated by UPI), Hyundai moved 4,520 Sonata Hybrid models in April, marking a 170-percent increase and the sedan’s best sales month to date. The Elantra Hybrid also improved to 2,399 models in April, an increase of 55.3 percent. On the Kia side, the Sportage Hybrid was up 65.2 percent to 7,446 units.

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• Kia Sportage Hybrid — 7,446 Units
• Hyundai Sonata Hybrid — 4,520 Units
• Hyundai Elantra Hybrid — 2,399 Units

In March, Toyota said that electrified vehicles accounted for more than half of its total US sales—287,276 units. That includes hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and electric vehicles. Lexus saw big upticks in models like the LX Hybrid and NX Plug-in Hybrid, with both recording sales of 832 and 3,229 units, respectively. Those numbers may not sound like much, but they represent major year-over-year increases.

• Lexus NX Plug-In Hybrid — 3,229 Units
• Lexus LX Hybrid — 832 Units

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Motor1’s Take: With gas prices continuing to squeeze customers in the US, it’s no surprise that hybrids are becoming more popular. Combining a gas engine with a small battery pack means excellent efficiency, with some hybrid models getting up to 57 miles per gallon combined in the US.

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