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KGMB9 Evening Team
Fuel Costs Driving Hybrid Sales Print E-mail
Written by Jim Mendoza - jmendoza@kgmb9.com   
April 22, 2008 06:28 PM

 
Car salesman Stan Aio says the best advertisement for the Ford Escape hybrid SUV isn't what's under the hood, it's at the price at the pump. The higher that goes, the more Hawaii drivers will turn to hybrids.

"You want to save money? Then that's the hybrid," Mike McKenna says.

McKenna says hybrids -- cars that run off gasoline and electricity -- are rolling off his McKenna Motors lot in greater numbers. Six were sold last week.

At Servco Pacific Inc., the Toyota Prius is still king of the hybrid hill. Sales are up.

"They are good for the environment, good gas mileage," says Servco executive vice-president Rick Ching.

"So as gas prices go up you're going to see people more and more looking at hybrids."

But in the grand total of new vehicles sold in Hawaii, the sale of hybrid cars and SUVs is still small -- only about two percent. Right now auto manufacturers are funneling hybrid supplies to the east and west coasts of the mainland, where demand is highest. But as demand for hybrids increases in Hawaii... so will supply.

McKenna's increasing his hybrid orders to fifteen a month.

"I'll guarantee you that we'll sell those fifteen every month," he said.

Toyota is also making space on its lot for more hybrids. The smart cars may never rise to dominate the car sales market but right now they're gaining ground.



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Last Updated ( April 22, 2008 06:28 PM )
 


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