Forecasts from automotive information resource Edmunds.com suggest that alternative fuel vehicles will claim nearly 5% of the overall U.S. auto market by the time model-year 2015 vehicles hit dealers' sales floors.
This increase in market share for diesel, electric and hybrid-electric vehicles represents a jump from less than 3% today, according to the company. The growth is a direct reflection of a large expansion of OEMs' alternative fuel vehicle offerings: Edmunds.com says ‘at least 43 new hybrid, plug-in hybrid, battery-electric, diesel and fuel-cell electric vehicles will be introduced to the U.S. market by the 2015 model year.’
‘The competitive landscape promises to expand significantly over the next few years, and it's likely that a vehicle with some type of electric drive or alternative fuel will wind up on your consideration list the next time you shop for a new vehicle,’ says John O'Dell, an editor with Edmunds.com.
Chevrolet and Ford are both expected to introduce four new alternative-drive vehicles through the 2015 model year. Chevy's key offerings will be the Cruze diesel (coming next year) and plug-in electric hybrid (set for a 2014 launch). Ford's C-Max Energi and C-Max Hybrid will be available by the end of this year, followed by the Fusion Energi next year.
Other alternative fuel vehicles scheduled to come to the market over the next few years include the 2012 Toyota RAV4 EV, 2013 BMW i3 (a battery-powered subcompact EV), 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid, 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid and 2015 Tesla mid-size EV.
Edmunds.com's full overview of alternative vehicles is available HERE.
