Toyota Leads U.S. Sales Gains for Gasoline-Electric Cars, SUVs April 19 (Bloomberg) -- Toyota Motor Corp., the world's largest seller of gasoline-electric autos, widened its lead in U.S. sales of the fuel-efficient hybrids, which more than doubled in the first quarter amid record fuel prices. Hybrid sales rose to 35,474 cars and sport-utility vehicles from 16,087 a year earlier, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Toyota's Prius car accounted for 22,880. Honda Motor Co. sold a total of 9,025 gas-electric Civic, Accord and Insight cars, and Ford Motor Co. sold 3,569 of its hybrid Escape SUVs ``Toyota strategically has hit the sweet spot'' because the Prius design reinforces that the car is a hybrid, said Daniel Gorrell, senior analyst at San Diego-based Strategic Vision, which analyzes consumer preferences for carmakers. Honda's Civic and Accord and Ford's Escape are versions of vehicles that mainly sell as gasoline-only models, he said. Hybrid sales were aided by retail gasoline prices that rose to an average $2.15 a gallon in March's last week and since climbed to $2.28. The vehicles reduce fuel use by combining a gas engine and an electric motor powered by batteries that recharge during braking and when the engine is running. Fuel economy is about 50 percent higher than for similar gas-only models. The gasoline prices, up 22 percent in the quarter based on U.S. Energy Department figures, and the increase in hybrid models are spurring sales, said Jeremy Anwyl, president of automotive data service Edmunds.com in Santa Monica, California. Hybrid Reminders Toyota, the world's second-largest automaker, more than doubled Prius sales from 9,918 in 2004's first quarter. ``The five-door configuration is very functional,'' Gorrell said. ``The interior and instrumentation constantly remind you that you are in a hybrid, and fuel economy is exceptional.''' First-quarter sales of Honda's Civic fell 8.2 percent to 5,418 as the Tokyo-based automaker added a gasoline-electric version of its larger Accord sedan. Sales of Honda's Insight, a two-seater that was the first hybrid offered in the U.S., have dwindled as bigger gas-electric vehicles have been added. The Civic, which ranks second in U.S. hybrid sales, doesn't give owners ``all the additional emotional benefits'' that Prius does, Gorrell said, citing his survey of 400 hybrid owners. Honda's total hybrid sales rose 46 percent from 6,169 and the automaker is ``happy with where we are'' this year, spokesman Andy Boyd said. Still, discussions with consumers indicate Civic lacks a ``futuristic, advanced appearance'' that's associated with hybrids because of the Prius, Boyd said. A new version of the Civic hybrid due late this year should address that, he said, without elaborating. Growth Forecasts For all of 2005, Toyota, Honda and Ford expect to sell a total of 210,000 gasoline-electric vehicles in the U.S., more than double last year's 86,203. Based on the forecasts, Toyota would have almost 70 percent of the market. Toyota expects Prius sales to almost double this year to 100,000 from 53,991 last year. The Toyota City, Japan-based company this week began selling the Lexus RX 400h hybrid SUV and forecasts sales this year of 25,000. Toyota will add the midsize Highlander hybrid SUV in June, with a sales goal of 20,000. Honda, Japan's third-largest automaker, this year expects to sell about 45,000 gas-electric Civics and Accords, as well as a few hundred Insight coupes, Boyd said. Dearborn, Michigan-based Ford, the world's No. 3 automaker, set a 20,000 goal for the Escape hybrid in its first full year. Automakers and analysts estimate that hybrid components add at least $3,000 to a vehicle's cost. Price Premiums Prius demand exceeded supply for most of 2004, allowing dealers to charge customers thousands of dollars more than the sticker price of between $22,000 and $26,000, depending on options. Increased supply this year cut the premium to $425, according to Kelley Blue Book, which tracks vehicle prices. The gas-electric Civic is selling for an average of $20,918, $647 less than the $21,565 sticker price, according to Kelley Blue Book. The Accord hybrid has the highest current premium, at $1,000 over its list price, and the low-volume Insight sells for the $22,045 retail price, Kelley said. Ford's Escape hybrid is selling at its list prices of $27,445 for the two-wheel-drive version and $29,070 for the four- wheel-drive model, according to Kelley. General Motors Corp. isn't detailing monthly sales of versions of the GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado pickups that use a so-called mild hybrid system that's doesn't qualify for government tax breaks for gasoline-electric vehicles. GM, the world largest automaker, aims to sell 2,000 of the 2005-model pickups, spokeswoman Susan Garavaglia said. DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler sells a similar version of its Ram pickup to fleets and will deliver fewer than 100 this year, spokesman Nick Cappa said. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=100...uw&refer=japan#
very nice article and factually speaking, mostly right, a rare thing these days. i also saw another article where GM was detailing its 1.1 billion $ loss this quarter. their plans for fixing it?? rushing to market their new versions of their gas-guzzling SUV's and full-size pickups.
