Hybrid Cars Are Winning Big in America as Electric Car Demand Slows
Hybrid vehicles are now the fastest-growing car type in the U.S., outshining pure electric cars as buyers seek lower prices and convenience.
Americans are falling back in love with hybrid cars — vehicles that use both a gas engine and an electric battery (a "power train" is the system that makes a car move). While fully electric vehicles (EVs, cars that run only on battery power) are losing steam, hybrids are booming.
According to Cox Automotive, an industry research firm, hybrid sales have jumped 82% over the past three years, making them the fastest-growing type of vehicle in the country.
Here's how the U.S. car market breaks down recently:
- Hybrids: rose to a record 14% of all vehicles sold (up from 12% a year earlier)
- Pure EVs: shrank to about 5% (down from 8%)
- Gas-only cars: still dominate at 80% (up from 78%)
- More models are available, and some — like Toyota's popular Camry and RAV4 — now only come as hybrids.
- Buyers don't have to worry about finding charging stations, since hybrids also run on gas.
- Price matters. Choosing a hybrid usually adds only $1,000–$3,000 to the cost, while EVs cost 10%–20% more than gas cars.
Affordability is a huge issue right now. The average monthly new-car payment hit a record $777 in the second quarter, and more buyers than ever are stretching loans to seven years or longer just to afford a vehicle.
One analyst, John Murphy, predicts hybrids could nearly double to 27% of the market by 2031, while pure EVs stay below 8%.
The takeaway: Hybrids used to be seen as a stepping stone toward all-electric cars. Now, thanks to lower costs and everyday convenience, they've become a destination of their own — at least for the next several years.
This is an AI-generated summary. Read the original article at: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/hybrids-are-the-breakout-star-of-the-u-s-car-market-as-ev-demand-fades-96dce1c3?mod=mw_rss_topstories