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BETA RESEARCH CORPORATION
SYOSSET, NEW YORK

Contact:
Jerome Kossoff
CEO, Beta Research Corporation
516-935-3800; E-mail: jerome@nybeta.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 28, 2004

Due To The High Cost of Gasoline, Beta Research Asks A Series of Questions Pertaining To Fuel-Efficient Hybrid Cars

Recently there has been an increasing amount of discussion concerning the high cost of gasoline. Prompted by an article in Time Magazine, Beta Research Corp. asked a series of questions pertaining to fuel-efficient hybrid cars.

On a prior basis it was decided to interview at least 300 respondents across the 48 contiguous states. These interviews were spread out fairly equally across the period of July 19–25 with three call-backs per household if there was no one 18 years of age or older to respond.

1. Based on everything you have seen, read, or heard about hybrid cars, is your overall impression…?

 
Total
18-34
35-49
50+
 
#
%
#
%
#
%
#
%
Very favorable
112
33.0
27
31.8
41
30.6
44
36.7
Somewhat favorable
154
45.4
45
52.9
65
48.5
44
36.7
Not too favorable
31
9.1
5
5.9
18
13.4
8
6.7
Not at all favorable
7
2.1
2
2.4
2
14.9
3
2.5
Don't know enough about them
35
10.3
6
7.1
8
6.0
21
17.5
Base
339
100.0
85
100.0
134
100.0
120
100.0

Total Males
Males 18-34
Males 35-49
Males 50+
 
#
%
#
%
#
%
#
%
Very favorable
62
37.1
13
31.7
26
38.8
23
39
Somewhat favorable
75
44.9
23
56.1
37
55.2
15
25.4
Not too favorable
10
6.0
3
7.3
2
3.0
5
8.5
Not at all favorable
6
3.6
2
4.9
1
1.5
3
5.1
Don't know enough about them
14
8.4
-
-
1
1.5
13
22.0
Base
167
100.0
41
100.0
67
100.0
59
100.0

Total Females
Females 18-34
Females 35-49
Females 50+
 
#
%
#
%
#
%
#
%
Very favorable
50
29.1
14
31.8
15
22.4
21
34.4
Somewhat favorable
79
45.9
22
50.0
28
41.8
29
47.5
Not too favorable
21
12.2
2
4.5
16
23.9
3
4.9
Not at all favorable
1
0.6
-
-
1
1.5
-
-
Don't know enough about them
21
12.2
6
13.6
7
10.4
8
13.1
Base
172
100.0
44
100.0
67
100.0
61
100.0

1a. The primary reasons offered for overall impression are:

Favorable
Not Favorable
  • Fuel efficient
  • Cleaner air / less pollution
  • Less dependent on (foreign) oil
  • Improves environment (specifically)
  • Good for local (city) driving
  • Not enough horsepower
  • Still too new
  • Don't know longevity
  • Cars too small

2. Which manufacturer do you think is most likely to have the greatest success in manufacturing and selling hybrid cars?

Total
18-34
35-49
50+
 
#
%
#
%
#
%
#
%
Toyota
81
23.9
19
22.4
30
22.4
32
26.7
Honda
110
32.4
32
37.6
44
32.8
34
28.3
Nissan
2
0.6
1
1.2
-
-
1
0.8
Lexus
5
1.5
3
3.5
1
0.7
1
0.8
VW
1
0.3
-
-
-
-
1
0.8
Mitsubishi
1
0.3
-
-
1
0.7
-
0.8
Foreign Car
1
0.3
-
-
-
-
1
0.8
Japanese Manufacturer
3
0.9
2
2.4
-
-
1
0.8
GM
44
13.0
8
9.4
14
10.4
22
18.3
Ford
42
12.4
11
12.9
19
14.2
12
10.0
Chrysler
4
1.2
-
-
1
0.7
3
2.5
Chevrolet
2
0.6
-
-
2
1.5
-
-
Saturn
1
0.3
-
-
1
0.7
-
-
American Manufacturer
1
0.3
-
-
1
0.7
-
-
None
1
0.3
-
-
-
-
1
0.8
Don't Know
40
11.8
9
10.6
20
14.9
11
9.2
Base
339
100.0
85
100.0
134
100.0
120
100.0

Total Males
Males 18-34
Males 35-49
Males 50+
 
#
%
#
%
#
%
#
%
Toyota
38
22.8
8
19.5
17
25.4
13
22.0
Honda
55
32.9
17
41.5
26
38.8
12
20.3
Nissan
1
0.6
-
-
-
-
1
1.7
Lexus
5
3.0
3
7.3
1
1.5
1
1.7
VW
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Mitsubishi
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Foreign Car
1
0.6
-
-
-
-
1
1.7
Japanese Manufacturer
2
1.2
1
2.4
-
-
1
1.7
GM
27
16.2
4
9.8
6
9.0
17
28.8
Ford
10
6.0
1
2.4
2
3.0
7
11.9
Chrysler
2
1.2
-
-
-
-
2
3.4
Chevrolet
3
1.8
-
-
3
4.5
-
-
Saturn
1
0.6
-
-
1
1.5
-
-
American Manufacturer
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
None
1
0.6
-
-
-
-
1
1.7
Don't Know
21
12.6
7
17.1
11
16.4
3
5.1
Base
167
100.0
41
100.0
67
100.0
59
100.0

Total Females
Females 18-34
Females 35-49
Females 50+
 
#
%
#
%
#
%
#
%
Toyota
43
25.0
11
25.0
13
19.4
19
31.1
Honda
55
32.0
15
34.1
18
26.9
22
36.1
Nissan
1
0.6
1
2.3
-
-
-
-
Lexus
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
VW
1
0.6
-
-
-
-
1
1.6
Mitsubishi
1
0.6
-
-
1
1.5
-
-
Foreign Car
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Japanese Manufacturer
1
0.6
1
2.3
-
-
-
-
GM
17
10.0
4
9.1
8
11.9
5
8.2
Ford
31
18.0
10
22.7
17
25.4
4
6.6
Chrysler
2
1.2
-
-
-
-
2
3.3
Chevrolet
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

Saturn

-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
American Manufacturer
1
0.6
-
-
1
1.5
-
-
None
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Don't Know
19
11.0
2
4.5
9
13.4
8
13.1
Base
172
100.0
44
100.0
67
100.0
61
100.0


3. The next time you are in the market for a new car, would you...?

 
Total
18-34
35-49
50+
 
#
%
#
%
#
%
#
%
Consider purchasing a hybrid
206
60.8
51
60.0
77
57.4
78
65.0
Not consider purchasing a hybrid
133
39.2
34
40.0
57
42.5
42
35.0
Base
339
100.0
85
100.0
134
100.0
120
100.0

 
Total Males
Males 18-34
Males 35-49
Males 50+
 
#
%
#
%
#
%
#
%
Consider purchasing a hybrid
104
62.3
26
63.4
41
61.2
37
62.7
Not consider purchasing a hybrid
63
37.7
15
36.6
26
38.8
22
37.3
Base
167
100.0
41
100.0
67
100.0
59
100.0

 
Total Females
Females 18-34
Females 35-49
Females 50+
 
#
%
#
%
#
%
#
%
Consider purchasing a hybrid
102
59.3
25
56.8
36
53.7
41
67.2
Not consider purchasing a hybrid
70
40.7
19
43.2
31
46.3
20
32.8
Base
172
100.0
44
100.0
67
100.0
61
100.0

3a. The primary reason cited across all demographic groups are as follows:

Would Consider
Would Not Consider
  • Save on fuel
  • Environmental reasons
  • Less pollution
  • Reduce dependence on oil
  • If price is right
  • Less expensive to operate
  • Not enough horsepower
  • Not certain of longevity
  • Prefer SUV / truck
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