US hybrid electric car sales hit record highs
San Francisco: Pure electric cars are making all the headlines, but their gasoline-electric hybrid rivals quietly achieved record sales in the United States last year, industry data showed.
While the likes of Tesla Inc and Ford Motor Co pushed for electric vehicle sales, Asian automakers boosted hybrid vehicle line-ups, as many customers still shun EVs due to higher prices, limited driving range or lack of charging stations.
US sales of hybrid vehicle sales jumped 76% to 801,550 vehicles last year, accounting for 5% of US light vehicle sales, according to data from analytics firm Wards Intelligence.
