© Unsplash/Isaac Quesada
The French are turning by the thousands to hybrid cars. Although it was supposed to represent only one step in democratizing the electric car, it is becoming a first choice solution for millions of households.
According to the AAA data firm, hybrid cars, half-gasoline, half-electric, experienced growth of 34% over the year 2023. Thanks to these last 12 record months, cars Hybrids now represent 36% of the market share, outstripping gasoline cars for the first time in automobile history.
< h2>Why buy a hybrid car ?
The main argument that comes up when we ask the French why they chose to buy a hybrid car is of course the price. The latter is much lower than for an electric car whose entry-level market is still starving.
The other big advantage of hybrid cars is their autonomy. No longer need to think about your route based on charging stations, hybrid cars can easily exceed 800 kilometers of autonomy.
On the other hand, hybrid cars are a real more ecological advantage compared to gasoline cars. Emission levels have nothing to do with it and many French people, sensitive to the issue of global warming, are turning to these new models to reduce their carbon footprint as much as possible.
L’simple hybrid still preferred to plug-in hybrid
If hybrid cars are popular in 2023, not all models are bestsellers. Indeed, today there are two competing technologies in the microcosm of hybrid cars. The first, called simple, have a small electric motor which recharges while driving. The majority of the power is provided by the heat engine.
The other category of hybrid cars are those called rechargeable. As their name suggests, these are above all electric cars which have a small thermal propulsion system if necessary. These cars therefore need to go through the charging station more often.
They are also less durable than hybrids “simple” and generally more expensive. Unconvincing sales arguments which make them cars less in demand than simple hybrids. Recently, their environmental impact has been called into question, as we told you in this article.
Renault and Toyota, the big winners
To establish the top 10 best-selling hybrid cars in the world ;#8217;year, there is no need to go around many dealerships. Two manufacturers occupy (almost) all the places. On the one hand, the Japanese Toyota takes the first positions with its Yaris and its Cross version.
On the other hand, the historic French manufacturer Renault dominates the rest of the ranking with the Arkana, but especially the Austral. This replacement for the Kadjar has enjoyed real popular success with more than 21,000 sales over the year. Still on the side of the French manufacturers, Peugeot manages to find a place for itself with its plug-in hybrids.
The 308 and the 3 008 sell for 9& nbsp;400 and 8200 copies each. As a surprise, the new Cupra occupies 9th position in the ranking with growth of 606.1% for its Formentor.
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