. New Kelley Blue Book Study Shows Consumers
Concerned About Current Hybrids
Although Optimistic About
the Future, Vehicle Shoppers Worry About Today's Hybrid Vehicle Technology
IRVINE, Calif. - The latest
study available today from Kelley Blue Book Marketing Research reveals
that consumers have concerns when it comes to current gasoline-electric
hybrid vehicles, but at the same time a large percentage feel that hybrid
technology is the wave of the future. The Kelley Blue Book New-Vehicle
Buyer Attitudes Study on Hybrids shows vehicle shoppers' top concerns
about current hybrids involve service and longevity issues, although many
shoppers also believe these issues will be resolved over time. There also
is a healthy amount of consumer skepticism regarding hybrids. More than
half of consumers say they are either not interested in hybrids or feel
they need to know more about the technology.
Despite the fact that hybrids
have been the darling of the general media, vehicle shoppers are somewhat
wary of the new systems. Sixty-one percent of consumers said they are very
concerned about the difficulty and expense of fixing the complicated
technology of hybrids, and 55 percent said they are very concerned about
hybrids' limited battery-pack life. Consumers rated these concerns
significantly higher than more publicized issues, such as hybrids failing
to deliver the level of gas mileage promised or failing to offer adequate
driving performance.
Although consumers are
expressing concerns about today's hybrids, they do have an optimistic
outlook on hybrids of the future. More than one-third (36 percent) of
vehicle shoppers think that gas/electric hybrid engines will be the
dominant engine type in five to 10 years, three points higher than the 33
percent who think that regular gasoline engines will still be dominant. In
addition, more than half of consumers think that in five to 10 years
hybrids will provide higher fuel economy while at the same time offering
driving performance similar to gas engines.
For consumers expressing an
interest in hybrids, the average shopper is willing to pay a premium of
$2,355 to purchase one. The study uncovered a core group of hybrid
advocates (six percent of new vehicle shoppers) who say they will buy a
hybrid vehicle regardless of the premium they might have to pay for the
technology.
