Toyota, Honda hybrid sales drop in 2008; 5 FCX Clarity models sold
Click above for more shots of the Honda FCX Clarity
We've already taken a look at the 2,555 hybrids that GM sold in December and the 14,439 hybrid vehicles it sold in 2008, but what about the other major automakers? Not every automaker reports their sales the same way (most don't break out hybrid numbers, for example), but we can still compare GM's results to Honda's and Toyota's.
Toyota reports that, for all of 2008, it sold 15,200 Lexus RX 400h luxury hybrid SUVs and 19,391 Highlander Hybrid gas-electric mid-size SUVs. For the year, Toyota and Lexus sold 241,405 hybrid vehicles. That includes 158,884 Priuses, compared to 181,221 in 2007. That 12.6 percent drop in hybrid sales is better than the drop in overall sales in the industry.
There is something interesting going on with the Honda numbers. The sales numbers say that 1,036 Civic hybrids were sold in December (31,297 in all of 2008) compared to 3,223 in December 2007 (32,575 in all of 2007). That was expected. The discontinued Accord hybrid managed to sell 198 units in 2008 (vs. 3,405 in 2007). The interesting part comes in the FCX Clarity section. Apparently, Honda sold five of them in 2008. I thought the only way to get an FCX Clarity was to lease one.
Gallery: 2009 Honda FCX Clarity First drive
[Source: Toyota, Honda]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ed Huang 9:41PM (1/05/2009)
I suppose if you total your clarity, the insurance company gets to buy it.
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Chris M 10:07PM (1/05/2009)
The lease arrangement for the FCX Clarity includes replacement insurance, as few could afford the insurance for a million dollar car!
gorr 8:11PM (1/05/2009)
If the clarity is sold, i'll will be interrested to know what is the price?
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Doug 10:02PM (1/05/2009)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTmXHvGZiSY
Arno 9:32PM (1/05/2009)
Gee, I wonder why. I would have bought a hybrid if there wasn't a 2-3k asshole tax (dealer markup).
Went for the V-dub TDI instead. Loving it!
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Bob 12:40AM (1/06/2009)
Arno,
Didn't you pay more for the TDI engine? And how is it paying for diesel? I know that filling my hybrid is much less painful than filling my diesel.
Arno 7:35AM (1/06/2009)
I *much* less than MSRP on the car. It was actually cheaper than the non-diesel if you look at everything included. The TDI comes with everything from the S, SE and SEL models plus the diesel itself. Haven't had to fill up yet (just got the car a few days ago). 270+ miles on the dealers full tank and I'm still not at half a tank.
Also I've driven a Prius, this thing is much more fun to drive. Great acceleration and great handling that makes it feel like a real 3000+ lb vehicle, as opposed to a toy.
I'm very happy with this purchase, nuff' said.
Chris M 10:18PM (1/05/2009)
The sales figures include all the leases as well as cash sales and financed sales. The 5 FCX Claritys were all lease sales.
Tesla Motors has delivered over 120 Roadsters to paying customers, which means there are now more Tesla Roadsters on the road than the entire fleet of H2 fuel cell vehicles from all the other manufacturers put together. Hmm, that's 24 Roadsters for every FCX Clarity!. I'ts going to be really interesting to compare the 2009 sales figures at this time next year!
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UH2L 12:34AM (1/06/2009)
Further proof that the people don't want fuel efficient vehicles unless they have to buy them to be able to afford to fuel them.
The fact that pick-up truck sales have gone up is also telling. Most people don't care about the environment, but they do care about their pocketbooks.
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GoodCheer 9:40AM (1/06/2009)
I fear you're right. It makes me sad.
People don't care about the environment, or about energy independence, or about funding terrorism. Just about looking "cool" and being able to afford a big-screen.
nads 1:06AM (1/10/2009)
UH2L, can you read?
"That 12.6 percent drop in hybrid sales is better than the drop in overall sales in the industry."
Industry sales EVERYWHERE are down due both to a global recession and interested buyers being denied credit unless they have scores above 700.
The fact that hybrid sales are down only 12% compared around 30% for SUVs and trucks, shows people still want prefer high efficiency cars.
PS: All the "cool" wanabees drive mustangs and buy the 50% discounted SUVs they couldn't afford a few months ago.
stas peterson 11:38PM (1/06/2009)
Typical Greenie smug priggishness. If you don't agree with their religious dogma, you are a heretic. Too bad that the dogma is being more and more exposed as just that, and not THE scientific truth that in their scientific ignorance, they have accepted. AGW fear is heavily over exploited. The scientific community is increasingly questioning the veracity of soemany AGW assumptions.
The simple reason that pickup Truck sales rebounded, is that trucks are working vehicles too.. Some people actually do need their pickups for work purposes. That establishes a fundamental sales level for them. For a good portion of a year, we have had sales below that basic level. When a company can obtain financing and can get fabulous deals to update its aging inventory of working vehicles, why not purchase them? And they did.
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