Edmunds.com: Sales of Hybrids and EVs Rev Up in First Quarter

Just the Facts:

• Spurred by rising gas prices, sales of hybrid and electric vehicles climbed 37 percent in the first quarter of 2011, according to Edmunds.com.
• Toyota led the pack in terms of volume, with Prius sales growing more than 50 percent year over year.
• The AAA Daily Fuel Gauge on Tuesday said the national average price for a gallon of unleaded gasoline stood at $3.68 versus $2.82 a year ago.

SANTA MONICA, California — Spurred by rising gas prices, sales of hybrid and electric vehicles climbed 37 percent in the first quarter of 2011, according to Edmunds.com. The Toyota Prius and Honda's CR-Z and Insight are consumer favorites, but the Lexus HS 250h is a dud, with sales plummeting almost 80 percent in the first quarter.

The growth in hybrids and electric vehicles "outpaced sales of traditional gasoline-powered cars and trucks," according to the new data from Edmunds.com.

"Edmunds.com analysts are starting to see the same pattern of buyer behavior that we saw when gas prices last hit record highs in 2008," said Edmunds' AutoObserver.com Senior Editor John O'Dell. "But the price at the pump isn't the only force driving the market. With nearly a dozen new models to choose from, hybrids are offering a much broader appeal than they have in the past."

The AAA Daily Fuel Gauge on Tuesday said the national average price for a gallon of unleaded gasoline stood at $3.68 versus $2.82 a year ago. The highest recorded average price for a gallon of unleaded gasoline was $4.11 on July 17, 2008 at the height of the 2008 presidential election. Gas prices are expected to continue rising because of the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East and evidence that U.S. demand will spike because of the recovering economy. Some analysts expect prices at the pump to exceed $5 per gallon by the end of the year.

Edmunds.com reported that Toyota is leading the way in unit sales of alt-energy vehicles, powered by Prius sales, which grew more than 50 percent year over year and make up almost 80 percent of the company's total hybrid sales.

Honda leads in terms of percentage increase in sales, said Edmunds.com, which noted that Honda's 11,354 sales in the first quarter "accounted for an 84 percent increase over 2010."

"The Insight hybrid led the way with 6,058 first-quarter sales — a 22 percent increase over 2010. Honda also successfully introduced the CR-Z hybrid in 2011, with 3,670 sales in the first quarter."

But Edmunds.com noted that "not all hybrids are winners so far this year."

"Mercedes-Benz and Nissan have seen advanced tech sales fall 76 percent and 17 percent, respectively, through the first three months of the year. The Lexus HS 250h, meanwhile, saw sales plummet almost 80 percent in the first quarter."

Inside Line says: When you feel ripped off at the pump, hybrids and EVs are must-have vehicles. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent