More car buyers snapping up hybrids over EVs

DETROIT — America’s automakers have staked their futures on the notion that electric vehicles will dominate sales in the coming years, spurred by buyers determined to reduce carbon emissions and save on fuel.

But while EV sales are growing, their pace is falling well short of the industry’s timetable for transitioning away from combustion engines. Instead, buyers are embracing a quarter-century-old technology whose popularity has been surging: The gas-electric hybrid alternates from gas to battery power to maximize efficiency.

In 2023, Americans have bought a record 1 million-plus hybrids — up 76% from the same period last year, according to Edmunds.com.

As recently as last year, purchases had fallen below 2021’s total. This year’s figures don’t even include sales of 148,000 plug-in hybrids, which drive a short distance on battery power before a gas-electric system kicks in.

Though EV sales are nearing an annual record of over 1 million this year, their yearover-year growth rate has begun to stall. EVs still account for only about 7% of all U.S. auto sales.

The reasons why hybrids have become the preferred choice for many buyers vary. They range from the higher prices of comparable EVs to concern about the scarcity of charging stations to a recognition that hybrids provide many of the same advantages without the hassles of EVs.

Ford, the nation’s No. 2 hybrid seller behind Toyota, expects to produce enough hybrids to quadruple sales within five years.

In the meantime, surveys show that consumers remain uneasy about either the availability of charging stations or the sale prices of EVs — even factoring in tax credits that the federal government makes available for purchases in many cases.

“People are perfectly fine with a car that gets 45 or 50 miles per gallon, and you don’t have to do anything” different from current behavior, said Scott Adams, owner of a Toyota dealership in suburban Kansas City, Missouri.