Sales of gas-electric cars jumped nearly 20 percent in May, compared to last month, outpacing the overall vehicle market that increased by 12.3 percent. Sales of the 2010 Toyota Prius, which continues to make up half of all hybrid purchases, increased by 13.5 percent to 14,248 units—despite a relatively poor showing by the entire Toyota brand. Industry observers believe that Toyota has yet to overcome negative publicity from safety recalls earlier this years, yet car shoppers are apparently excusing the Toyota Prius from those quality concerns.
Sales of the Ford Fusion Hybrid accelerated by a whopping 64 percent to 2,486 units. Ford also added nearly 25 percent more sales of the Ford Escape Hybrid. At this point, Ford has decisively leapfrogged Honda to become the number two seller of hybrid cars. Toyota owns 68 percent of the hybrid market; Ford holds 14 percent; and Honda has dropped to nearly 9 percent of hybrid car sales. The upcoming Honda CR-Z hybrid might help the company regain the second place spot—and Honda executives are promising a clean-slate approach for future hybrids.
Sales of the Altima hybrid, which is only available in eight states, soared by 253 percent. It’s unclear if publicity about the company’s all-electric Nissan Leaf helped raise the green perception of the entire Nissan brand.
BMW shipped the first 7 units of its $103,000 ActiveHybrid 7. Those units, combined with 12 reported sales of the BMW X6, reveal the company’s half-hearted efforts with hybrids. General Motors and Mercedes haven’t fared much better.
Clean diesel sales were up by 8.4 percent to 6,961 units in May compared to last month. Volkswagen continues to dominate clean diesel sales with nearly 80 percent of the market, led by the Jetta TDI, which single-handedly is responsible for 62 percent of all clean diesel purchases.
Despite the rebound in May, hybrid gas-electric cars continue to lag behind the overall market in year-to-date sales, with an 8.5 percent increase so far in 2010 over last year—compared to a 17.2 percent increase in the overall market. That’s not a big surprise, considering that average U.S. gas prices are about 20 cents lower than this time last year. Public outrage over the Gulf oil spill has created a latent demand for fuel-efficient or petroleum-free alternatives—but as long as gas is cheap, sales of hybrids, clean diesel and upcoming plug-in cars will be dampened. If and when gas prices start to climb, Toyota and Ford will be well positioned with hybrids, and Volkswagen with clean diesel vehicles.
2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid is the Nissan’s first baby in the hybrid car manufacturing. Even though it has not been priced yet at the moment, car ‘devotee’ is looking out for its initial release into the hybrid vehicle market which will be in 2007.
The new 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid’s exterior has the similar look of the non-hybrid Altima and will also run on the similar gas engine as its non-hybrid counterpart. But this recently-introduced 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid Car will be show of its extra hybrid electric system that helps to maximize gas mileage and reduce gas emissions with an expected fuel economy of 41 mpg for city driving and 36 mpg for highway driving.
2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid – “emission wise” – has approved the standard of the Partial Zero Emission Vehicle or PZEV, classified as AT-PZEV, which means that this 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid will be adopted the California standard for vehicle emission tests.
The new 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid also has four cylinders 2.5 liter with a power of 158 hp and with a CVT powertrain. Together with the hybrid system, 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid will have a total of 198 hp, net! The 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid Car will power with a 40 hp permanent magnet synchronized AC motor. Its electric motor will have a torque – 199 lb-ft – and a hybrid battery pack of 244.8 Volts.
Not bad primi for Nissan. And if all goes well, we might wait for more hybrid models from Nissan.
There’s a decidedly European influence in the Malibu Hybrid new version. That makes 2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid takes on a much sportier and refined look than the previous generation of this Chevy car and more European than anything else in a Chevrolet showroom
The 2009 Chevrolet Malibu 4 doors have a taut and uplevel design and sophisticated shape that rival both the Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry. It is not as performance oriented as the Nissan Altima, and not as conservative looking as the Toyota Camry. For example, the Chevrolet Malibu’s short rear deck profile and round taillights loosely echo the iconic Chevy Corvette.
General Motor’s new 2-tiered grille is flanked by large jeweled headlamps – upfront. Its entire front fascia very much resembles that of the Saturn Aura.
The 2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid grants a premium look that is often seen on more luxurious with brightwork around the side windows. The 2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid exterior rides atop 16 inch, 17 inch, or 18 inch aluminum wheels.
Overall, the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu exterior is bold, elegant lines and a crisp, attractive sheet metal taut proportions, looks masculine, brawny, modern, and many more. The best overall design since Ed Welburn as the top design in General Motor.
As a result of the rising demand for fuel efficient cars in general, Nissan Motor Company Ltd. from Japan found themselves ‘stressed’ to develop a new hybrid version with it’s popular Altima model, well-known for its resemblance to the 1957 luxury Nissan Bluebird. As a result, the new Nissan Altima Hybrid was launched in 2007.
There is a enduring pressure on auto manufacturers to manufacture hybrid versions or movable out to the modern market with the ever rising demand for this kind of vehicle. The Nissan Altima Hybrid is both a car and an energy efficient model that was planned to combine a series of special features to ensure popularity and raise sales.
Actually we can compared Nissan Altima Hybrid with a Toyota in many ways, which is ironic because Toyota is one of the biggest rivals in automotive. The Nissan Altima Hybrid’s functional ‘reproduce’ in a straight line from Toyota Company. Nissan had to guarantee that Altima hybrid its new hybrid model excelled in the hybrid auto market. As a result during the conception and development stage of the car, Nissan Ltd. entered into an agreement with Toyota Company to utilize auto manufacturing tech’ specific to hybrid cars. These agreement included the CVT or continuously variable transmission, the regenerative braking system, which makes it possible for the battery to charge when the vehicle is braking and electric assisted steering technology. The electric motor and battery pack are also both licensed by Toyota. They get the licenses at great cost from their rival. Each effort was made to make sure the finished product was an useful and attractive car that fared well in the hybrid auto competitive.
The outcome of this vehicle has become one of the most trendy and popular in energy efficient vehicle category. Nissan Altima Hybrid is widely spread across the states of NY, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, CL, and RI.
Nissan Altima Hybrid cost is somewhat more expensive in comparison to similar vehicles of its capability and size on the road, even though generally hybrid vehicles are at the higher end of the market. MSRP of Nissan Hybrid Altima is about $24,440.
