More on hybrids. . . . Thanks to a near doubling of Prius sales, hybrid sales set a record in May at 45,095 units sold (the Prius accounts for over half of all hybrid sales, and Toyota overall 80 percent) – even as Honda announced it was discontinuing its disappointing Accord and Insight models.
In addition to spiking gas prices, industry analysts cite buyer incentives and new federal tax credits (Prius is tops with a $3,150 tax credit; the Ford Escape Hybrid SUV gets $1,950) for the numbers.
J.D. Power reports that those credits are going to an average hybrid buyer making $113, 400 a year. Talk about “welfare for the rich”. . . .