Advertisement

Barrier To Buying Green: Electric Cars And Hybrids Confusing

 
2,126 views Mar 11, 2011
Follow John

2011 Toyota Prius

2011 Toyota Prius

Enlarge Photo

Related Photo Galleries


See more photos »

Think car buyers understand what a hybrid is, or a plug-in electric car? Think again.

A new survey conducted by research firm Synovate finds that many of almost 1,900 new-car "buyers and intenders" don't understand how hybrid vehicles work.

Worse, most of them don't seem to understand how conventional hybrids--which have now been sold in the U.S. for a decade--differ from cars that plug in.


Survey data shows that most consumers consider buying fuel-efficient cars to save money, not for altruistic or environmental reasons. But we suspect unfamiliarity with these types of cars is bound to deter potential buyers, perhaps hurting hybrid sales.

2011 Chevrolet Volt

2011 Chevrolet Volt

Enlarge Photo

The results of the Synovate survey showed that only 50 percent of respondents knew that hybrid-electric vehicles have an additional battery pack.

One third knew that hybrids could run in electric-only mode, but roughly a quarter thought that hybrids have no tailpipe (which only applies to battery electrics) and another quarter thought hybrid vehicles take more than 15 minutes to refuel.

This leads us to conclude that survey respondents didn't understand the differences among three different types of fuel-efficient vehicles:

  • Hybrids, which can run on electric power for short distances at low speeds (e.g. 2011 Toyota Prius)
  • Plug-in hybrids, which can run on electric power for longer distances and recharge from the electric grid (e.g. 2011 Chevy Volt, 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid)
  • Battery electric vehicles (e.g. 2011 Nissan Leaf) that refuel solely by plugging into a wall socket, and have no engine at all

Surprisingly, Synovate found that buyers knew relatively more about battery electric vehicles like the Leaf, though knowledge about how they would work in real life--for instance, how they are recharged--was lacking.

2011 Nissan Leaf, Nashville, October 2010

2011 Nissan Leaf, Nashville, October 2010

Enlarge Photo

Perhaps that's because the electric-car concept is simple, analogous to consumer electronic goods. No combustion engine in your laptop or mobile phone, right?

The survey offers a sobering reminder for those of us in automotive media, who tend to sling around terms like "plug-in hybrid" without checking to see how many of our readers actually understand what we're talking about.

But we'd like to get your opinion (whether you own a hybrid vehicle or not).

Why is there such confusion in the market, and what could automakers (or others) do to help buyers understand their options more clearly?

Leave us your thoughts in the Comments below.

[Synovate via TheCarConnection]

+++++++++++

Follow GreenCarReports on Facebook and Twitter.





Tags:
Posted in:
 
Contribute
Send us a tip Comment Contact the editor
Follow Us

 

Have an opinion?

  • Posting indicates you have read this site's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • Notify me when there are more comments
Comments (11)

  1. Ed Buratti Posted: 3/11/2011 11:19am PST

    I own a Ford Fusion Hybrid, and have been asked twice what happens if I'm away from home and my battery goes dead, so I agree most don't understand the various technologies. But a lot don't understand how a gas engine works, either, or how their computer works...
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  2. Shirley Posted: 3/11/2011 12:43pm PST

    I agree with Ed, especially with how many people just don't know basics of alot of things. Confusion in the market is just because people do not care enough or are not excited enough. I know from my own experience, when I want to learn about something I will make a conscious effort to LISTEN. However, you have to catch my attention first OR I already need to have some inclination to why I would go on my own to seek this information. I don't have a miracle answer on what automakers should do but I want to start community forums to answer people's questions and make information more accessible. Now how will I do this? not sure yet, probably through non-profits, social media, local government partnerships? I want to start somewhere even if its small.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  3. victor Posted: 3/11/2011 4:44pm PST

    Media is at fault too. Many articles on hybrids have errors, not long ago many used to be flat out wrong. But it is mostly that people do not care to know. It requires thinkin and people are lazy when iot comes to mental effort.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  4. fb_100001492506266 avatar fb_100001492506266 Posted: 3/12/2011 7:23am PST

    I own a 2011 Honda Insight II, and it is by far the best automobile I've ever owned.
    I knew that hybrids were a collaboration between electric and fossil fuel motors, but I didn't really understand exactly what that meant until I did some research and talked with some people who really understood this. I don't think car makers want to go into too deeply into what a hybrid is (the difference between Hondas vs. Prius, for example) because they're afraid it will confuse the customer. I think the subject is fascinating. I think that learning about how a hybrid works is deeply satisfying and only enhances the experience of owning and operating a hybrid. The important thing to remember is that using the instrument displays in a hybrid to guide and change your driving habits is the real secret to better gas mileage.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  5. fb_542856692 avatar Rich Civil Posted: 3/12/2011 12:45pm PST

    It is unfortunate, but not really surprising. We who read this website are a lot more informed on the subject of hybrid, plug ins, and EVs than the general public. There are a lot of things that get a lot more attention in the general media that people are awfully ignorant of the facts.
    Example a poll came out last month that showed almost half the respondents thought that the health care law was repealed or they just didn't know.
    Whatever you may think of the law it is pretty sad that people are so ignorant of the facts about a major piece of legislation that has gotten tons of attention.
    And when I say ignorant I don't mean stupid, they are different things. However they do sometimes come together.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  6. Joe Halusic Posted: 3/12/2011 3:09pm PST

    Put money into brain transplant research. Also don't cut spending on education.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  7. Libercontrarian Posted: 3/12/2011 11:31pm PST

    Americans actively choose to be stupid about understanding technology. We're a rich country with many lazy thinkers who feel like they are above learning how technology is employed - thus the stigma of the "nerd" or the "egghead" as an undesirable or a necessary evil.
    I predict that Americans will become extraordinarily knowledgeable about EVs when the price of gasoline reaches its market cap sometime over the next two years - we have a way of figuring out how things work when we are sufficiently motivated.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  8. fb_1001015277 avatar John Briggs Posted: 3/14/2011 4:16am PDT

    Wait, survey says people buy fuel-efficient vehicles to save money not to be altruistic? Isn't the opposite of earlier articles you have produced saying that people are "making a public statement" and using "social signaling" to show how altruistic and cool they are?
    So while the general public may be confused how hybrids work, I guess it is up to journalists to show confusion about why they are purchased.
    As a hybrid driver, I am not at all surprised by the research. People don't know how hybrids work. But the beauty of hybrids is that you don't have to know. They work like "regular" cars.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  9. john_v avatar John Voelcker Posted: 3/14/2011 6:20am PDT

    @John Briggs: You're confusing two different GCR posts. The first is the one that said *Prius owners* cited making a public statement about their values as a main motivator:
    http://www.greencarreports.com/blog/1044525_buying-a-green-car-its-all-about-being-seen-being-green
    The second is one that looked at *car buyers overall*, who want to save money:
    http://www.greencarreports.com/blog/1050748_why-buy-green-cars-for-the-cost-savings-not-the-planet-survey-says
    In other words, different survey groups.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  10. fb_1001015277 avatar John Briggs Posted: 3/14/2011 10:01am PDT

    @John Voelcker, Alas it is the two GCR posts that are confused. Firstly, I am starting to wonder if you read the University of Minnesota study. It is a setup for green versus non-green products. Hybrids were only one of the three products listed. Secondly they didn't get a choice to say "save money" because the price of the green and non-green products were the same. Third, they didn't get to "make a public statement" except by the indirect assumptions of the study. Also, none of the people purchased a car or anything else for that matter and all are college student.
    Additionally, now are you really at the point where you don't find any conflict between the idea 1 that hybrid owners are making a public statement, and idea 2, non-hybrid high MPG owners are only looking to save money. You don't think it is possible that hybrid owners would like to save money as well. You don't think that non-hybrid high MPG owner want to show off?
    And how does any of this square with Voelcker's Theorem that "People buy the most luxurious car that they (think they) can afford."
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  11. john_v avatar John Voelcker Posted: 3/18/2011 4:29am PDT

    A nice followup by my colleague Bengt Halvorson, in which Toyota says carmakers need to do a better job: http://www.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1056993_toyota-its-our-responsibility-to-address-hybrid-plug-in-confusion
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

 

Have an opinion?Join the conversation!

Advertisement
Advertisement

Find Green Cars

Go!

Advertisement

More from High Gear Media

 
 
Green Car Reports
  • Follow Us
  • Twiiter
  • Facebook
 
 
© 2013 Green Car Reports. All Rights Reserved. Green Car Reports is published by High Gear Media. Send us feedback. Stock photography by Homestar, LLC.