Sales of hybrid cars in the US are up 49% so far this year, with the largest growth seen in the Midwest. Oklahoma is the state that has seen the largest increase with a 143% growth in hybrid sales from January – July 2006 with Hawaii being the only state that had a decrease in hybrid sales over the same period. The most popular manufacturer of hybrid vehicles remains Toyota with the Prius and the Camry being their two most popular hybrid models.

Hybrid sales come as a surprise in a market that is stagnating and shows that green issues are starting to be taken seriously by many of the population. It is predicted that over 300,000 hybrid vehicles will be sold in the US in 2007, just over 2% of all vehicles sold. This compares to a figure of just over a quarter of a million hybrid sales in 2006.

With rising gas prices and environmental concerns, it is no wonder that hybrids are slowly starting to become more popular.

Popularity: 15% [?]