Five Year Analysis: Hybrid Market Share Remains Stagnant As More Automakers Play In This Segment

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At one point, hybrids were supposed to be the answer to today's rising gas prices. As consumers hit a threshold of becoming quite uncomfortable with paying what consumers perceived to be higher gas prices, consumers trade-in and switch to hybrids and alternative vehicles. However, with most gasoline models being so fuel-efficient today, hybrids currently account for 3 percent of the new-vehicle market, so far this year based on the first quarter of 2014. 

Over a five-year period hybrids peaked at 3.3 percent of the new-vehicle market in 2012, although more automakers are in the game of offering hybrids and alternative vehicles to their product portfolio. Usually like in the case of the growing crossover segment, more automakers are adding vehicles to slot into this segment, as a result of sales growth. Ironically, this theory does not prove true for the hybrid. Toyota continues to wear the crown, as the leader in the hybrid segment, although their overall combined hybrid sales have decreased significantly.