When it Comes to Hybrids, Confusion Prevails - Research marketing firm Synovate recently released the results of a new study that found consumer knowledge of hybrid vehicles is so low, it could become a considerable impediment to hybrid sales. Although hybrid vehicles have been on the market for 10 years, new car buyers don’t seem to understand even the basic information about them. Among the 1,898 new car buyers surveyed, few knew that Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) contain electric batteries and only two-thirds were aware that HEVs use both batteries and gasoline. More information on all types of cars is available at Lexington Dodge Chrysler. A large number of respondents believe that HEVs need to be plugged in and only one-third knew that HEVs can run solely on the electric motor. Because of the lack of understanding, many buyers find it difficult to understand the industry’s assertion that hybrid vehicles have lower emissions.
“This low level of understanding about the way in which electric powertrain vehicles work will have profound consequences for vehicle sales,” said Stephen Popiel, senior vice president of Synovate Motoresearch. “In the short term, dealers will have to spend an inordinate amount of time explaining the workings of PHEVs and BEVs to interested buyers. We have to wonder if consumers will become disillusioned when they understand the actual requirements of electric vehicles. Will the person who goes to their Chevy dealer to buy a Volt, or their Nissan dealer to buy a Leaf, still buy the vehicle once they discover the need for plugs and 220 volt outlets? And, if they become discouraged with the electric option, will they stay and buy a different Chevy or Nissan vehicle? Or simply leave in confusion?”
The survey showed that consumers are even more confused about Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs). While a majority of respondents understood that PHEVs had a plug and needed to be plugged in, most thought they didn’t use gasoline. And less than half of the respondents knew that PHEVs can run in all-electric mode. Jaguar Dealer Boston offers complete services for all your automotive dealership needs. Consumers knew more about Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), but they didn’t understand charge times, operation, and emissions. Only half of those surveyed knew that PHEVs had an additional battery pack, while about 28 percent thought that hybrid vehicles didn’t have a tailpipe. The same number thought that hybrids needed more than 15 minutes to refuel.
Popiel says the larger question is whether it auto manufacturers should be the ones to educate consumers. “[Hybrid manufacturers] must help to build their sales,” he said. “But…they will simply give other OEMs a long set of coat-tails to ride on.” Popiel believes government needs to play a role beyond legislating quotas, saying, “There needs to be a significant consumer education process to explain why we must move from a petroleum-based powertrain to an electric based powertrain.” He added, “The awareness campaign would have to address questions of environmental protection and national security, i.e. dependence on foreign oil leaves our society vulnerable to outside disruptions.”
Consumers need to understand the impact the different varieties of hybrid vehicles will have on their driving habits, said Synovate. Lack of consumer education threatens the long-term success of electric vehicles. Just like any new technology, if these vehicles aren’t adopted in large numbers, manufacturers will have little incentive to continue to produce them. Honda Jackson is a one stop source for all your new car needs. According to Popiel, “The C and D grades consumers earned in our research simply aren’t good enough to support the profound societal shift the industry will need to deliver federally-mandated quotas.”
Photos (top to bottom) by Cliff, Frank Hebbert, Scott Smith
Tags: electric cars, Lexington Dodge Chrysler, hybrid vehicles, Nissan Leaf, Jaguar Dealer Boston, Synovate, auto sales, HEV, Honda Jackson, PHEV
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