April 12, 2011 — Sales of hybrid and electric vehicles grew 37 percent during the first quarter of 2011, compared to 20 percent growth of gas-powered vehicles during the same time, according to a recent report from Edmunds.com.
The growth is over first quarter sales of hybrid and electric vehicles in 2010, which totaled 57,247. This year the total is 78,523.
Toyota is the clear sales leader in the category, with 54,609 sales so far this year. Honda is second with 11,354 sales, Ford is third with 7,704 sales, General Motors is fourth with 2,323 sales and Nissan rounds out the top five with 1,728 sales.
Porsche posted 432 sales in the hybrid and electric or “advanced technology” category. Volkswagen sold 169 models, Mercedes sold 110 and BMW sold 94.
Nissan and Mercedes were the only companies to lose ground in the category this year, with sales shrinking 16.6 percent and 75.9 percent respectively.
“Edmunds.com analysts are starting to see the same pattern of buyer behavior that we saw when gas prices last hit record highs in 2008,” said Edmunds' Auto Observer.com Senior Editor John O'Dell. “But the price at the pump isn't the only force driving the market. With nearly a dozen new models to choose from, hybrids are offering a much broader appeal than they have in the past.”
