National Press Release

ST. LOUIS, Feb. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- While economic difficulties plague the automotive industry, consumers are poised for the next wave in automotive technological advancements -- alternative fuel sources. Results from the recent New Vehicle Customer Study, conducted by Maritz Research's Automotive Research Group, show the growing interest of consumers in these new products.

Electric Power Gaining Popularity

The Automotive Research Group of Maritz Research has been tracking interest in alternative fuels in its annual New Vehicle Customer Study (NVCS) since 2005, and the data show electric power growing as a primary alternative fuel among the current choices. Approximately 9 percent of consumers, who bought or leased a new vehicle in 2008, judge the electric-powered vehicle as the alternative fuel that was most appealing. The appeal share for electric vehicles has grown in the past three years from 3.4 percent in 2006, to 6.6 percent in 2007, and now 9.4 percent. Interest is higher among those who purchased or leased a car, as opposed to a light truck, in the last three years.

Appeal for electric vehicles stood at 4 percent in 2006, climbed to 8 percent in 2007, and currently is almost 11 percent among new car buyers and lessees. The car share of the vehicle market has grown since 2006 and is now over 50 percent of new sales. Light trucks formerly dominated vehicle sales. According to Jim Mulcrone, senior manager for Maritz' automotive research group, "With automakers struggling and renewed emphasis on reducing oil dependence, consumers are eager for innovation. Adding electric and other alternatively fueled models may help spur new growth in automotive spending."

Consumers ranked electric-powered vehicles third among current options such as diesel, hybrid, and seven other choices in a question that asks consumers to pick one.

Solar power has remained flat in the 4-5 percent range; methane, propane/LPG, and biodiesel have the least interest at 2 percent or less. Interest in gas blends and diesel has ebbed over the four years of the study with gas blends currently at 5 percent and diesel at 3 percent.

Conversely, appeal of hybrid and fuel cell vehicles is rising, with hybrids up from 18 percent in 2006 to 24 percent in 2008, and fuel cells up from 11 percent in 2006 to 15 percent in 2008. "This is likely due to the wide press coverage of these alternative drivetrains over the last few years," Mulcrone said.

Fuel Uncertainty Shrinking

NVCS also shows that in 2008 approximately one quarter (26 percent) of consumers still do not know which alternative fuel is most appealing. However, the proportion of these "drivetrain undecideds" is shrinking, down from 31 percent in 2006, indicating consumer opinions about alternative fuels are coalescing. A small, but stable, share of 3-4 percent report none of the ten alternative fuels in the questionnaire are appealing.

Maritz Research has conducted the NVCS as a syndicated tracking study in the United States for over 30 years. Since its inception, the objective of the NVCS has been to provide current, comprehensive marketing data covering every vehicle line sold or leased in the marketplace. Sample sizes annually are 115,000 or more. The 2008 data includes buyers in the first 9 months of the model year, currently over 88,000 records. NVCS is sampled at the model level and focused on retail (household) sales with a target of 450 responses per model.

About Maritz Research

As one of the world's largest marketing research firms, Maritz Research, a unit of Maritz LLC., helps many of today's most successful companies improve performance through a deep understanding of their customers, employees and channel partners. Founded in 1973, it offers a range of strategic and tactical solutions concentrating primarily in the automotive, financial services, hospitality, telecommunications and technology, retail and pharmaceutical industries. The company has achieved ISO 9001 registration, the international symbol of quality. It is a member of CASRO and official sponsor of the American Marketing Association.

SOURCE The Automotive Research Group of Maritz Research