Hybrids Prove Hard Sell

"Hybrids prove a hard sell, even in the green Northwest.

A recent poll by Seattle-based PEMCO Insurance found less than 2 percent of Northwest drivers say they own a hybrid vehicle.

However, the poll shows that hybrids do remain a consideration for more than half of all drivers. As many as 59 percent of drivers in Oregon and 56 percent of Washington drivers say they would consider buying a hybrid the next time they shop for a new car.

About two-thirds of Washington hybrid drivers and just half of Oregon hybrid drivers say they're motivated by the money that hybrids help them save on gas, rather than a desire to reduce pollutants emitted by gas-powered vehicles.

Washington drivers also are three times more likely than Oregon drivers to say that rising gas prices would motivate them to buy a hybrid, according to the poll.

Of those who say they aren't likely to purchase a hybrid for their next vehicle, at least one-third from either state could be swayed if hybrid vehicles cost less. Thirty-four percent of Oregon drivers and 42 percent of Washington drivers said they would be more inclined to purchase a hybrid if the cost dropped by 5 percent. " [Read more]