Diesel and Hybrid Sales Beating Overall Car Sales in US Since 2010

The Diesel Technology Forum has released its study of diesel and hybrid car sales between 2010 and 2012, and it found that while car sales in the US are up 2.75% in that time, diesel vehicle sales are up 24.34%, and hybrid sales are up 33.58%. Gasoline-fueled cars still make up the vast majority of car sales, but these alternative fuels in the US are growing much faster than gasoline-fueled vehicles. 

The study found that 796,794 diesel vehicles, including cars, trucks, SUVs and vans, were sold in 2012, up from 640,779 of them in 2010. There were 2,290,903 hybrids sold in the US in 2012, up from 1,714,966 in 2010. 

"While total diesel vehicle registrations are slightly less than three percent in the U.S., auto analysts and market researchers virtually all agree diesel sales are going to increase significantly as the number of new diesels made in available domestically will more than double in the next two years," said Allen Schaeffer, the forum's executive director.

The study also examined diesel and hybrid sales on a state-by-state basis.

Texas is the largest diesel market in the US with 775,395 registrations between 2010 and 2012. California has the second-highest number of diesels with 573,303.

In terms of diesel vehicle growth, the District of Columbia leads with 20%, and Maine is in second with a 13% rise. 

California has a massive lead in the total number of hybrids registered between 2010 and 2012 with 548,199 cars. Florida is a distant second with 122,912 registrations. 

The South leads hybrid growth, though. South Carolina had a 50% growth in sales between 2010 and 2012. Tennessee grew its hybrid fleet by 48%, and Kentucky and Mississippi tied for third with 46% hybrid growth between 2010 and 2012.

Source: Autoblog Green