Surges In SUV And Pickup Sales Indicates Americans Probably Don't Give A Crap About Being Green

The only reason people "did give a crap" was because the price of oil was substantially higher. My wife is even talking about trading her Touareg for another SUV because "she likes the extra space". Don't know why because our daughter is away in college, we don't have nothing to tow and we never drive off-road (maybe she considers driving to the tennis courts off-roading, LoL!). Trucks and SUVs will continue to sell more, especially in the luxury category.

And that's news? We've seen that trend before when pump prices took big swings, up and down.

Since mid 2014, when fuel prices at the pump started declining seriously, we've witnessed a delayed but marked effect on consumer purchasing trends favoring more fuel-intensive vehicles. The last time a similar cycle happened, people bought their big, powerful, roomy, gas-drinking SUVs when pump prices were low (not thinking forward to a time when prices might increase), and then when pump prices went up, they were crying about how painful it was at the pump for them. Hybrid and other fuel-efficient vehicle sales are inversely proportional to gas-guzzling vehicle sales: As big SUV sales decline, small car and hybrid sales pick up, and vice versa.

Also interesting to note is that in the 18 months prior to the start of the downward pump price trend, and the 18 months following, EV sales (deliveries) have remained pretty flat if we looks at market share. They don't seem to be meaningfully affected by pump prices. Draw your own conclusions about that.

Interesting tidbit about EV sales being flat TheSteve. I guess there's a "fixed" number of people that like EVs and hybrids, "fixed" number of people that need small economical cars, so those sub-segments are relatively flat. The bigger market segment that have disposal monthly income would change their purchase as the gas and other market conditions change ?!?!?

nguyenvuminh wrote "...I guess there's a "fixed" number of people that like EVs and hybrids..."

No. EV market share has remained flat in the year and a half before and after the pump prices started their downward slide. Hybrid sales have trended along with small car sales: As gas prices fell, so did small car AND hybrid car sales. EV sales remained relatively flat.

It is mostly economics and some politics. Yes there are some people who are concerned about the environment and will act that way. But the vast majority are less concerned. Hence the need for government economic incentives for all things green; solar, windmills, EVs, mass transit, etc. etc. Take the politically based $ incentive away and these things don't fly. Economics take over hence large vehicles when the cost to own them is low, but they a switch to smaller vehicles less costly to run when things go the other way.

For me, it's the higher seating position that I prefer. Now that I'm in my 60s, sliding into the seat instead of sitting down into a sedan is much easier on the bod!

And I did trade a Tiguan for my Passat specifically because of mileage. I'm getting double what the Tiguan would get, and right now diesel is as low as, if not lower than RUG. Since VW will likely be buying back both my Passat and Jetta, I'll be watching economy ratings closely for whatever I end up buying. And I'm in the income level that I don't really have to worry about fuel costs. I'd just prefer leaving the planet a little better for my grandkids. I'm a conservative too, but I make no claim on the Republican Party :)

Green is a secular/socialist religion and nothing more.

Global warming is a political thing but not a scientific apocalypse.

Incinerate the Middle East and divvy up the oil between the USA, Russia, and China.

God, I love world peace.