SUV, Pickup Sales Increase On Incentives

October 16, 2008

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

Auto sales have sunk to their lowest level in more than 15 years, but sales of SUVs held steady at their August level of 4.4 percent of the U.S. market. While large pickup trucks made up about 14 percent of vehicles sales, the highest level of the year, MSNBC reports.

SUVs and pickup trucks’ August sales rose 27 percent and 43 percent, respectively, compared with July.

Jesse Toprak, executive director of industry analysis for Edmunds.com, told MSNBC that the rebound is due to high sales incentives, which hit a record $5,953 per unit in August; and declining fuel prices. For the first time in six months, the national average fell below $3.50 a gallon last week.

Lester Lave, a professor of economics at the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University, told MSNBC that he is skeptical the automotive market will return to the late 1990s, when the popularity of large pickup trucks and SUVs were at its peak. Lave says the move away from large vehicles is likely to be permanent as long as fuel prices do not drop significantly.

In June, Mercedes introduced what it touts as the cleanest diesel SUV in the U.S.

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

Advertisers

Stay competitive through sustainability.

Find out how at the SAP Sustainability Resource Center. >>

Unclear about the EPA's new GHG Rule?

Learn how it could affect your business. >>

EPA mandatory emissions reporting starts Jan 1st

CSA Standards can help your organization get ready for compliance. Find out how. >>

Product Environmental Compliance Best Practices

How to achieve compliance at a significantly lower cost. Download the full report. >>

Join the Discussion

Recent Daily News [ see all ]

11/20/2009
11/19/2009
11/18/2009

Charts [ see all ]

European Paper Industry Cuts CO2 Emissions by 42% since 1990

S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks

Nike Tops Annual Climate Action Scores

Oceans May Trap more Carbon than Forests

Jobs

View All Jobs >> Post a Job >>

Comments and Discussions

Trade Association on Trade Group on EPA Chemical Regs: ‘If Everything is a Priority, Then Nothing is a Priority’
"Seriously… that..."

Gary Markowitz on Supermarkets Tackle Emissions Reductions, Fuel Efficiency
"Supermarkets waste over 10 percent of their energy through improper..."

peter in ireland on Ontario May Follow California’s Lead on TV Energy Efficiency
"Governor Schwarzenegger is shooting himself in the foot! 1...."

Environmental Leader on S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks
"The survey respondents (the PDF report mentions 4,000 respondents in 38..."

Jake on UPS Trying New Hydraulic Hybrid Trucks
"A point of clarification: the Reuters press release referenced herein reports that 20 UPS will purchase..."

Custom Organic Shirts on S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks
"90% of North Americans believe it is urgent to get a global climate..."

peter dublin on California City’s Green Building Ordinance Applies to Commercial Buildings
"Why energy efficiebnt regulation on buildings –..."

Environmental Leader