Peruzzi Toyota Product Blog

As gas tops $4 per gallon in much of the country, hybrid vehicles have never looked more attractive. Especially when combined with employer incentives, tax breaks and even parking discounts in some places, hybrid vehicles have suddenly become the cars of choice for many people. In areas where hybrids have traditionally sold well, such as California, sharply increased demand has led to long wait lists.

In the Midwest, however, hybrid demand has generally been fairly low in comparison to the rest of the country. Now, however, demand is outstripping supply, according to a recent article in the Twin Cities’ Star Tribune. Customers eager to get their hands on a new hybrid vehicle are increasingly finding themselves calling multiple dealerships in order to even schedule a test drive, and many are having to wait in line to purchase.

According to the article, Toyota and other hybrid manufacturers are at full production capacity, having steadily ramped up production to try to keep pace with an unprecedented call for the vehicles. Part of the problem in the Midwest is the way that allocation works.

Manufacturers allocate new cars to dealers proportionately, based on historical sales figures. Since the Midwest has a history of low demand for hybrids, relatively few vehicles have been allocated to dealers in the region. The new tide of demand has quickly surpassed the available supply.

Toyota and other hybrid manufacturers are working to get hybrid vehicles out as quickly as possible. New plants are expected to come online within the next one to five years. In the meantime, drivers claim that their hybrids are worth the wait. If you are in the market for a new hybrid, we invite you to visit our convenient local dealership. We will work with you to get you into your new hybrid as quickly as possible.

President Bush recently introduced a proposal to boost fuel economy requirements over the next several years. Under the proposal, vehicles that are introduced beginning with model year 2011 would be required to get at least 27.8 miles per gallon. For 2012, vehicles would need to achieve 29.2 miles per gallon, and by 2013, at least 30.5 miles per gallon. This is an excellent start, but many experts feel that the proposal is incomplete.

Under the Bush plan, fuel economy would increase by approximately 1.5 miles per gallon per year for the first three years. However, in 2014 and 2015 those numbers significantly drop off, at minimums of 31 miles per gallon and 31.6 miles per gallon respectively. At that rate, experts worry that the U.S. fleet will achieve only approximately 34.5 miles per gallon by 2020. This is short of the goal set by last year’s groundbreaking energy bill, which requires a fuel economy of 35 miles per gallon by 2020.

According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, analysis has shown that with current hybrid technologies, there is no reason that an even higher minimum, of 39 miles per gallon, is easily achievable by 2020. The current goal of 35 miles per gallon could be achieved by 2018.

Therefore, it seems that the Bush plan does not push automakers to succeed. Instead, the plan allows the auto industry to limp along. Additionally, it is expected that the auto industry will contest the bill, further weakening it before it passes.

Of course, many of today’s hybrid vehicles already far surpass the minimum standards. If you would like to learn more about the fuel economy of today’s Toyota hybrids, we invite you to visit our friendly Toyota dealers in Pennsylvania. We can help you find the hybrid that is right for you.