Understanding Californians’ Interest For Hybrid Cars

Following recent hikes in the price of gasoline, there has been increasing interest for hybrid cars. Yet, the recent sales of some hybrid cars (notably the Honda Accord) have been disappointing. This study tries to analyze Californians’ interest for hybrid cars based on a statewide phone survey conducted in July of 2004 by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC). We develop several ordered models to explain the respondents’ stated interest in hybrid cars. We find that males and respondents with at least some college education who are concerned about the environment, state a higher interest for hybrid-vehicles. However, one key reason for considering hybrid cars is the possibility to drive them in carpool lanes, even with single occupancy. This finding has implications for policies that try to stimulate interest for hybrid cars. This is a joint paper with Mana Sangkapichai, a Ph.D. candidate in the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Irvine.