¶ … hybrid automobile will be the focus of research into the motives consumers have for purchasing hybrids. Issues that will be reviewed include psychological and social factors, attitudes, personalities, family, socioeconomic factors and other issues.
History of Hybrid and Electric Autos in the U.S.
The first known electric vehicle was built by Robert Anderson in Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1839. The first known hybrid car was designed in 1898 by Ferdinand Porsche; called the Lohner-Porsche Elektromobil, it could travel 38 miles in electricity alone (Berman, 2007).
Meanwhile in the United States, when the government and consumer advocacy groups began to realize that lead emissions from the exhaust of automobiles contributed a deadly dose of pollution into the air, steps were taken to reduce lead emissions. In 1973, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued new standards that called for "…a gradual reduction of lead emissions from gasoline," according to Curtis and Judy Anderson in their book Electric and Hybrid Cars: A History. Part of the problem in 1973 was the international oil "shortage" that was apparently set in motion by the oil-producing nations; many people believed the oil shortage was a "hoax" perpetrated on consumers by the oil companies -- "in collusion with oil companies" -- in order to gouge customers (Anderson, et al., 2010, p. 76).
Whether the fuel shortages were manipulated or not, the problem generated "…growing interest in electric and hybrid vehicles," Anderson explained (77). Interest was further stimulated because America's cities were shrouded in smog and the combustion engine was correctly sited as a direct cause. As a result of these two dynamics, Congress (over President Ford's veto) passed the Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Act of 1976, authorizing $160 million for demonstration projects, for research on batteries, design, and motors for hybrids and electric cars. There have been many millions of dollars of taxpayer money on demonstration projects related to low-polluting vehicles which save consumers money on ever-rising gasoline prices. But automakers took the idea of hybrids for the mass consumer audience and ran with it; to wit, Toyota produced the hybrid Prius in 1997 to the Japanese market and to the U.S. market in 2000. Honda released the Insight in 1999 (and it won awards for its mileage ratings of 61 MPG city and 70 MPG on the open highway (Berman, 2011).
What are the motives for buying a hybrid? Alan Dunn writes in U.S. News that there are several good reasons that should motivate consumers to buy a hybrid. Those motivating factors are: a) lower fuel costs; the Prius gets nearly 50 MPG and other hybrids like the Mercury Milan Hybrid, Lexus CT 200h, the Honda Civic Hybrid and the For Fusion Hybrid all get over 40 MPG; average annual fuel costs for these cars is around $1,400); b) cheaper car insurance (the Travelers company and others offer "good-driver" discounts up to 10% for hybrid car owners); c) "It is hip to be green," Dunn writes, adding that "…consumers finally have realized that driving a hybrid car is actually both cool and financially responsible"; auto manufacturers are aware of this and pitch their sales and marketing materials accordingly; c) there are tax incentives for hybrid car buyers; the federal government and individual states offer tax breaks for purchasers of hybrid cars; and d) HOV (high-occupancy vehicle lanes, also known as "carpool lanes) passes are available in many states so that owners of hybrids can use these lanes even if only the driver is the only person in the automobile (Dunn, 2011).
Psychological Survey of Hybrid Buyers: Professor of Psychology Dame Glynis Breakwell conducted a psychological survey of hybrid auto owners. The results showed that buying a hybrid is linked to six beliefs: a) cars produce too much CO2; b) hybrids generate less CO2; c) hybrids are well built; d) hybrids are a "status symbol"; e) hybrids are economical; and f) hybrids offer tax breaks (Breakwell, et al., 2012). Two of those 6 beliefs are also "values":...
Hybrid Cars -- Persuasive Speech What do you think of living in a planet that has little pollution? How about the idea of passing on a green planet to your kids and grand kids? Sounds impossible? Well, its not if each of us start making a small contribution towards reducing the emission of green house gases to make our planet a safer and greener place to live. One of the ways to
16) Broader estimates, including all companies are more conservative, yet it is clear that the target market potential is exponential, and marketing will likely broaden its scope to other target markets in the near future. Possible risks to the industry are limited by quality and potential market saturation, when demand levels off with supply, as it will likely in the near future. As has been stated previously, it seems the
Works Cited Europe's hybrid and electric passenger vehicles. (2009, July 27). The Auto Channel. Retrieved August 5, 2009 at http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2009/07/28/472014.html Honda's cumulative world-wide hybrid sales pass 300,000 in January 2009. (2009, February 19). Green Car Congress. Retrieved August 5, 2009 at http://www.greencarcongress.com/2009/02/hondas-cumulati.html Kanter, James. (2009, March 26) Coke Tests a Hybrid Truck in Europe. Retrieved August 5, 2009 at http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/26/coke-tests-a-hybrid-truck-in-europe/ McCurry, Justin. (2009, July 19). Toyota picks UK to make new Auris hybrid car. The Guardian. Retrieved August
Literature that is associated with actual vehicles is often provided by designers and manufacturers of such vehicles as they attempt to sell their significant economic outlay to consumers. The footage in the film, Who Killed the Electric Car? showing individuals using such technology and even president George W. Bush attempting, though rather stiltedly, to fill the tank of an alternative fuel vehicle are examples of marketing. It is difficult to
Hybrid vs. Gas Powered Cars Currently, global warming and a shrinking natural resource base are two of the greatest headaches for governments and regulators alike the world over. The price of gas in the U.S., for instance, almost doubled over the last decade, from $1.86 in 2004 to $3.62 on average in the first half of 2014; and given that more than half of the country's oil consumption is taken up
Automobile Industry "the foreign market has surpassed quality over the U.S. Automobile Industry" The automobile industry is one of the biggest manufacturing industries of the 20th century and puts a severe impact on the economy of the nation. In Japan, a largest auto manufacturer of the world, the expression 10% industry is frequently used which indicates that the auto industry is involved in 10% of the total employment. As automobiles comprises of
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now