More Videos
- The L.A. Extravaganza: A Test for Auto Shows
- Volt Drive: Great Ride, Interesting Interior and a Friendly Chirp
- Volvo Talks Show New Day Dawning for China
- Starting Car2Go - Smart Move for Daimler
- GM Cuts Losses—Plans Early Loan Repayment
- Ghosn's Bet: 10% of World Will Drive EV's in 10 Years
- Ford, Hyundai, Audi Gaining Interest
- Cadillac Converj Smart Extension of Volt
- Chrysler Makes Smart Call Staying Unplugged—For Now
- China Growth Shows GM Good Fortune
MOST SHARED
- The 'Real' Jobless Rate: 17.5% Of Workers Are Unemployed
- GM's Agreement to Sell Saab To Swedish Firm Falls Apart
- CNBC Anchor Takes a Sabbatical
- Privately Held Facebook Creates Dual-Class Stock
- Buyers Look For Bargains At Luxury Condo Auction
- NBA D-League On The Rise
- Amended Berkshire Hathaway Filing Indicates No Secret Stock Stakes at End of Q3
- Just In Time for Holidays: More Gloom and Doom on Economy
- Behind The Scenes With Warren Buffett
- On Twitter, Beware False Prophets
- S&P to Hit 1,200 by Year-End: Chief Investor
- Amended Berkshire Hathaway Filing Indicates No Secret Stock Stakes at End of Q3
- Facebook's Biggest-Ever Holiday Shopping Season
- Facebook's New Dual Class Structure - Slow Steps to an IPO
- 5 Big Bank Stocks Investors Should Consider: Strategists
- Gambling Drunk, Texting to Live And America's On Sale - Your Emails
- Nov. 24: Unusual Volume Leaders
- NBA D-League On The Rise
- 3D's Tipping Point and Your Living Room
- Citi Mortgage Reveals Something the US Treasury Won't
- Fed Sanguine About US Recovery, Worried on Jobs
- Amended Berkshire Filing Reveals No 'Secret' Holdings
- In Time for Holidays: More Gloom and Doom on Economy
- Turkey Day 101: How Well Do You Know Your Bird?
- Privately Held Facebook Creates Dual-Class Stock
- Holiday Guide to This Season's Smartphones
- Six Ways to Boost Your Income in a Big Way
- Gambling Drunk, Eggos on eBay & More: Your Emails
RSS FEED
Behind The Wheel
Text Size 
 |
Source: chevrolet.com 2008 Chevy Tahoe Hybrid |
In fact, a new survey by Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association says if gasoline prices hit $4 per gallon as many economists predict, an estimated 65 percent of American car owners say they will dramatically change their driving behavior.
When a friend of mine pointed this out to me, I was not surprised, but also somewhat skeptical. For 3 or 4 years now, there have been numerous surveys where people said, "yes, when gas hits $2.00, $2.50, $3.00 a gallon, I will look to buy a hybrid, or drive less, or switch from my SUV to a crossover utility vehicle." And yet, as we have hit these price points, the amount of change we've seen has been limited.
Are people driving less? Yes. Are people buying fewer pick-up trucks and large SUVs? Yes.
But as prices have moved up, there has yet to be that "shock wave" where truck sales fall off so dramatically that automakers scream in pain. I say it's because we have slowly adjusted to higher gas prices. As they have crept higher, we've incorporated the greater expense and yes, some people have moved into more fuel efficient vehicles.
But automakers still sold more than 2.7 million pick-ups last year, and the top selling vehicle, was, once again, the Ford [F
Loading...
()
] F-150. In other words, there will still be people, companies, truck lovers buying those big rigs.
Four dollar a gallon gas may be coming, but I'm not sure it's the "tipping point" many are suggesting it will be.
Questions? Comments?
Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes