Why are fuel efficient cars so unpopular in the USA?

Question

In a previous question, I asked if we should have a European-style gas tax in the USA:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ArRiAjsfKdFhNBKHprnG8r7ty6IX?qid=20070809144857AAwq50U

A later question basically asked "what are you, nuts?":

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070813132336AAsb5L2&r=w#RsR4WTC1UGLXAOZlOfd26Pr22G__DAD6hVJeJW5TpX.ayPFJ4ZHX

But in researching my answer, I discovered that "Hybrids currently account for 1 percent of new car sales in the United States" even though "high gas prices and generous tax credits now offset the high sales prices of some hybrids, assuming owners keep their hybrids for a few years"

http://www.cnn.com/2006/AUTOS/08/22/bc.autos.hybrids.reut/index.html

It's not just that hybrids are incredibly unpopular in the US, but there are tons of small car models available in places like Europe that are not available in the USA.

My conclusion is that Americans don't demand fuel efficient cars because of low gas prices.

and no, $3/gallon is not a high gas price when you compare it to the $7-8/gallon European price.

The argument was made that people will buy the more fuel efficient car if given the option, but if that's so then why do hybrids only account for 1% of US car sales? Why are fuel efficient cars so unpopular in the US if it's not due to our low gas prices?

Answer 1

Not an easy question to answer--but you have two different approaches in theUSA andEurope.

Contrary to myth, Europeans likepowerful cars just as much as Americans--after all, they are known for their sports cars, both high-end and of modest cost. But European policy has consistantly favored small vehicles--and thus generally more fuel-efficient ones. The most obviouus example of this pooicy orientation is the high cost of gas.

In the USA, by contreast, we have a different socioeconomic andpolitical orientaion. On the one hand, taxes on gas in the uS are relatively modest. That has meant that a "gas hog" isn't the drain on the consumer it would be iin Europe--thus there is less incentive to opt for fuel-efficient cars.

But the central problem is, in a word, marketing. If you look back 30 years, following the "oil shock" and early environmental movement, small cars became very popular--and, since it was clear that, at least for awhile, people wern't buying gas guzzlers, Detroit aggressively marketed these small cars.

But automakers have a strong incentive to market larger, more powerful (and hence fuel-inefficient) cars--simply put--they can charge a lot more fr tem. And, as price pressures eased in the 80s and 90s, that's exactly what happened. And consumers have bought into the image of the big, supposedly safer, "sexy" and "status-symbol" SUV and other cars.

Ultimately, that's all it is--image. Basically,most SUVs are used for an enviroment they aren't designed for--short distance urban commuting. And in that context, they functionally are nothing more than an overpowered station wagon with a center of gravity that's too high to be either as safe or appropriate for urban travel. But they offer image, status, an illusion of safety, etc.

In Europe that hasn't worked--because the high gas prices place such a premium on efficiency that few people are willing to pay the high operating cost. Not that the European automakers are any less interested in profit. But theyy've gone in a different direction: the status (and high-priced) cares are there, alright. But the cars that are marketed as such are more likely to be small-to-medium sized sports cars and the like. No model of fuel-efficiency, but far less inefficient than American status cars.

Answer 2

I know I'm not going to get best answer for this, but the reason is pretty obvious. They simply cost too much. The savings in fuel simply does not outweigh the initial price in the minds of most people. Most people don't care enough about the environment to spend extra money on it becuase they are too busy trying to put food on the table and get where they need to go as cheaply and safely as possible. The price dissuaded me from buying a hybrid.

Then you have the very poor people who could not even think of buying a new car. They get stuck driving a ten year old car because that's all they can afford.

You also bring up small cars. I, for one, would not want to be on a US highway in some of the cars they drive in Europe. American roads contain many more dangers than European roads. Put a sub-compact in a crash with an SUV, a semi, a heavy duty pickup or even a large bull or a deer for that matter.

The US government needs to put some of that wasted tax money into subsidizing hybrids to make them the same price as traditional vehicles. I can guarantee there is not one single person (aside from those who would do it just for the sake of being an a**) who would look at a regular Ford Escape and a Hybrid Escape, identical in every other way and priced equally, and choose the regular one. And don't say our government can't afford it either. They waste enough in a year to fund an entire subsidy program for hybrids, not to mention what is going to waste killing people in Iraq.

Personally I would be in favor of rationing gas if it came down to it. The poor would likely feel little effect as they must be cautious with their consumption anyway. I would like to see some of the rich fat cats be told that no, they cannot take a limo to whatever event they are attending because they have used up their monthly gas ration. Put them on the bus.

By the way, is the weather nice up there on your little elitist cloud? Someday I'm going to give tours of middle America to people like you. You are not the only person I've met with such narrow views and not even the worst offender at that. Sadly I have to deal with most of the other ones in the real world.

Answer 3

"Fuel efficient" cars are generally smaller lighter which by their very design make them less safe than standard automobiles.

Hybrids have the problem of being over priced, until recently too small and are more dangerous to rescuers when they're in traffic accidents due to the batteries (also very expensive to replace btw)

Now I am fascinated by the technology found in hybrids and once its improved I'd certainly consider buying one provided it meets my standards of size, comfort and performance. I spend too much time on the road to be cooped up in the current death traps.

I'd also like to see fuel cell technology improve as well as the development of hydrogen as a motor fuel source.

Answer 4

Actually fuel efficient cars are very popular here in the United States.

Even though it is an ugly car, the Prius would be more popular if it was not so expensive.

I always thought that the Prius looked like a cockroach on wheels. I always wondered why a designer would make a car that looked like that.

Then I realized that the designer was probably making a statement about the kind of person that would be driving the vehicle.

Answer 5

For a hybrid really the pros outweigh the cons, the major con is the price. One uncommon con of a hybrid is that in severe accidents, paramedics have been electrocuted when cutting open hybrid cars with the jaws of life.

Answer 6

Cash my friend back in the 1930's we had cars that ran of of water steam powered they went 40 mph I bet we could improve on that right? We have the technology the car company's and the oil company's are related to gasoline they are making billions they are holding back because their jobs depend on it. Money seems to be a very evil thing
its holding us back as a nation because corporations are making billions while people are homeless and starving.

Answer 7

The Kyoto Protocol mandates that San Fran sis co will by 2008 have no petrol driven cars. That's gunna freak people out. Its to logical and right. It may increase the transport cost. But humans are self centred particularly Americans

Answer 8

Most fuel efficient cars are small and have poor performance.

Answer 9

Europe has smaller cars because of their roads also...but most fuel efficient cars in the US are either ugly or too expensive...We'd rather drive our trucks, hummers, lexus, etc..than a toyota yaris, I guess...also, there aren't enough incentives to buy them...also, smaller cars may not have good crash safety ratings? A friend of mine told me that Bush gave tax write offs for people who bought bigger cars (hummers, etc...) because they use more gas...I'm not sure if I believe it, but it would be ironic if it was true

Answer 10

What you want to do is bankrupt poor people.

Poor people cannot go out and pay $20,00 or $30,000 for a new hybrid.

Poor people cannot pay more than $1,000 or $2,000 to buy a car.

Poor people are stuck with cars that get terrible gas mileage.

Raising the gas tax will net help the poor get fuel efficient cars.

Raising the gas tax will just force the poor to spend money that they need for their food, rent and clothing on gasoline instead.

The poor always get hit the hardest with these crazy schemes to raise gas taxes.