Hybrid car sales remain sluggish despite price cut

Hyundai Motor has continued to post lethargic sales of fuel-efficient cars including the Avante and Sonata hybrids.

The automaker’s monthly sales of the Avante hybrid dropped to 118 units on average in May despite a price cut, while the average monthly figure stood at 175 units throughout 2011.

Monthly sales of the Sonata hybrid have also fallen to 969 units, compared to the average figure of 1,027 units last year.

Though Hyundai Motor has actively been promoting the hybrid models since the first half of last year, the sales were merely 10 percent of the sales of the gasoline-fueled versions of the same models.

As their hybrid sales remained lackluster this year, with consumers thought to be taking a wait-and-see attitude toward the cars, Hyundai sought to attract consumers by lowering prices last February.

Despite the consumer price slash, the hybrids have failed to gain popularity.

Kia Motors, an affiliate of Hyundai Motor Group, also saw its sales of the Forte hybrid remain sluggish. Monthly sales of the eco-friendly sedan stay at 77 units, compared to 128 units in 2011.

A Hyundai Motor spokesman attributed the lackluster sales to consumers worries over durability of batteries in hybrid models.

But he stressed that hybrid car-oriented batteries would run more than 10 years, adding, “The demand for the fuel-efficient cars is projected to grow steadily amid high oil prices and wide interest in environmentally friendly vehicles.”

Meanwhile, Toyota Motor has been more aggressive in its introduction of cheaper hybrid models in Korea.

The Japanese carmaker recently launched the Prius E, priced at 31.3 million won ($27,000), in the local market, compared to 37.9 million won for the original Prius hybrid model.

Toyota Motor Korea, which launched the New Camry Hybrid in January, unveiled three models of the New Prius hybrid series ― Prius S, Prius M and Prius E ― in February.

By Kim Yon-se (kys@heraldcorp.com)