The days of the red-hot hybrid are over. You remember those days (last summer) when dealers couldn't keep hybrids in stock because high gas prices pressured nervous buyers to pony up for a fuel efficient car. Fast forward five months, and not only is it easier to find a hybrid, but you can even get a deal on one.
The latest study from the research firm, CNW Marketing, shows that the number of car buyers considering a hybrid has dropped to it's lowest point since August of '05. In the first half of this month, according to CNW, 11.6% of buyers indicated an interest in driving off with a gas-electric hybrid. That's a big decline from this time last year, when three times as many buyers thought about picking up a hybrid. Not only that, but the average premium buyers who are willing to pay for a hybrid compared to a comparable gas model, is at it's lowest point since CNW started measuring buyer attitudes on hybrids. The average price premium is now $1,152 - less than half what it was a year ago.
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