Worldwide Insight & Civic Hybrid Sales Figures

[The Citrus Smoothie]

Please see link below to Honda UK news article about Honda Hybrid sales. The article has a interesting table of sales figures broken down by year & region, which I haven't seen before.

http://www.honda.co.uk/news/cars/20040428.html

[Rick Reece]

As you said a very interesting table. I wonder if the 4 Insights sold in Europe in 03 were special orders. I can't imagine Honda just shipping 4 to all their dealers. Have fun, RIck

[Randy]

If this table is correct, it could be bad news for the Insight. Notice that Insight sales peaked in 2000 in Japan and Europe, and in 2001 in the US.

World wide sales peaked in 2000 (at 554, and dropped to 1259 in 2003. I wonder about 2004 sales?

Randy

[b1shmu63]

2000 and 2001 overall sales of hybrids were essentially the same. If you wanted a Honda hybrid you had one choice. 2002 sales were 3.45 times 2001. 2003 was 4.68 times 2001. The CRX and Prelude both sold well but were dropped, whereas, Honda has produced the NSX for many years inspite of low sales and is finally introducing a new NSX model.

Honda has never tried to sell the Insight but I'm sure that the Insight has sold a lot of Civic hybrids. I'm also sure that the Insight and Civic will help to sell the 2005 Accord hybrid. If the 2006 Insight is based on the 4 seat carbon/aluminum IMAS, it will set a new standard for hybrid technology and show Honda for the innovative designers that they are. It won't matter at all that Civic and Accord sales will probably still dominate (unless oil prices continue to rise). demonstrateable technological mastery inspires consumer confidence and instills pride in an automobile marque. Ultimately that sells cars. It has kept me loyal to Honda for 24 years, from CVCC to Vtec to IMA.

[Will M]

I'm reading "The End of Oil". It's the book I wish I'd written, had I actually known the things I've been suspecting.

The Honda Insight makes so much sense. If more people drove them instead of SUVs, we'd probably gain another decade or two before civilization as we know it ends. Meanwhile, that's not where the market is headed.

People who trust market forces are doomed idiots thinking themselves clever for their keen grasp of short-term goals.

[james]

"People who trust market forces are doomed idiots..."

Maybe so, but they still look pretty smart when compared to those who wait around for intelligent action from governments

[Holicow]

Yeah, like charging more to register hybrids since they will "produce" less gas tax revenue.

Ugghh...I'm still nauseous...