Hybrid "Fad" Set to Hit 1m Global Sales by 2010
Much to GM Car Czar Bob Lutz' chagrin, hybrids are a bit more than the flash in the pan he predicted . A study from RCNOS titled "Global Hybrid Car Market Forecast to 2010" (reported by Research and Markets) predicts global hybrid sales will experience a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 12 percent in the next six to seven years. They also prognosticate that the hybrid battery market will grow by 10.4 percent between 2010 and 2015. From 2008 – 2012, the hybrid component market will increase at a CAGR of 17.4 percent. The U.S. is the top market for gas – electric vehicles. RCNS says American hybrid sales should crest the 1m mark by 2012. At the moment, there are only a few major (i.e. remotely credible) players in the hybrid game. But with the Koreans and the Chinese busily developing their own hybrids, the playing field could become crowded in a hurry. And since competition drives prices down, the consumer will be the overall winner. Not to mention air quality and CO2 emissions.
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geozinger - Goshn wasn't as silly about the way he presented hybrids... but he is not a supporter of the technology. He, like many others, believe that alternative fuels and drivetrain configurations (that is, engines not based on a conventional petrol powerplant) are the way to go. Of course, the problem with non-conventional powertrains is that they do not achieve acceptance by consumers. Personally, I feel diversity in thinking is important. Being that there is never a 100% correct answer, I believe it's important that people try alternative solutions even in the face of topical criticism.