Before EPA mpg estimates were revised, the 2006 Toyota Prius (shown above) had a combined mpg estimate of 55. Using the new EPA mpg estimates, which went into effect with the 2008 model year, the same vehicle has a combined mpg estimate of 46.

During the course of researching his new-vehicle purchase, Krish visited a number of automotive shopping and research sites, including Edmunds.com, MSN Autos and Motor Trend. He looked up pricing on autoweb.com and Cars.com and visited blogs, Prius owner groups and forums to get information on real mileage, engine technology, battery life and battery replacement cost. “I had a feeling that I would never get 60 mpg,” he explains, but he did expect to get at least 50 mpg. Unfortunately, most of the reviews he read online were from owners in California, who did not need to factor in depreciated performance during winter weather.

Disappointment over fuel economy
Krish’s initial excitement about owning a Prius soon abated when he realized that the vehicle was not delivering the fuel economy he had been promised. As has been well-documented by now, the original EPA mileage estimates for the Prius far overestimated the vehicle’s actual performance. Buyers drove home vehicles with window stickers that estimated the car would get 60 mpg in the city and 51 on the highway. (These EPA estimates have since been revised downward to 48 and 45 mpg, respectively.) The best mileage Krish has ever logged in more than two years of ownership is 47 mpg. In winter, he has noticed that the fuel economy of his Prius is closer to 40 mpg.

The display screen in the center console of a 2006 Toyota Prius can depict either energy use or gas consumption.

Unexpected benefits
One unanticipated benefit of hybrid ownership was that after a few months of driving the Prius, Krish started to notice he was getting better mileage on his non-hybrid SUV. Krish attributes this to better habits he developed since driving a hybrid. He is now more aware of wasteful habits, such as accelerating too quickly or slamming on the brakes at traffic lights. The real-time visual fuel-consumption helps drivers realize how these poor driving habits translate into reduced mileage, he said, and he wishes all vehicles had this feature. In addition, the 2006 model year Toyota Prius was one of 10 winners of Kelley Blue Book’s Best Resale Value Awards that year. When Krish does decide it’s time to trade-in or sell his hatchback sedan, he will likely recoup a higher percentage of his original purchase price than owners of roughly equivalent non-hybrid vehicles. Currently, a used 2006 Prius in excellent condition sells for only $1,000 less than it did new two years ago.

–Krish Kuruppath interview by Mary S. Butler

Related links:
Compare old and new EPA mpg estimates; fueleconomy.gov

Kelley Blue Books’s kbb.com names winners of 2006 best resale value awards; kbb.com, 10.05.05

2006 Prius images appear courtesy of Toyota Motor Corp.

Homepage search box on the new eBay Motors homepage

These sites are responding to consumer-initiated activity – not influencing it. Even as U.S. automotive sales declined in the first quarter of the year, sales of hybrid vehicles increased during the same time period. That behavior will no doubt continue for the near future, based on consumer search activity on third-party sites, such as Cars.com. Not coincidentally, consumer interest in hybrid and fuel-efficient vehicles appears to index closely to prices at the pump.

This means that traditional vehicle categories, price, make and model are no longer the primary ways that consumers are researching new vehicles online. Fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles now reside in a primary vehicle segment, not just an enthusiast subcategory.

Some automakers have already addressed this reality by adding Hybrid or Most Fuel Efficient as a vehicle type or category that resides at the same level as Cars, Trucks and SUVs. The Saturn, Lexus and Toyota new vehicle sites have Hybrid filters on their showroom pages while Honda gives consumers the option of isolating vehicles that are either Hybrids or Most Fuel Efficient within its new-vehicle lineup. Even automakers that are months away from having a hybrid on lots, such as Cadillac and Dodge, are promoting upcoming 2009 models on their respective brand sites.

At least one marque, GMC, has added Hybrid search filters to its vehicle showroom ahead of its ability to deliver results. The only hybrid in GMC’s 2008 lineup is the Yukon, which has limited availability. While the GM division’s enthusiasm is understandable, offering consumers a zero-results option is not the most effective way to showcase their green wares.

Still other automakers are offering hybrids, such as Ford, Mazda, Mercury and Nissan, but are not making this immediately apparent in the vehicle showroom sections of their sites. One reason may be that high demand/tight supply has caused some brands to limit the amount of promotion these vehicles get – when vehicles are backordered they may not want to frustrate consumers by promoting waitlisted models. However, an opportunity still exists to promote future hybrids – in Ford’s case, the 2009 Fusion Hybrid, and for Nissan the 2009 Altima – and start to gauge interest and, possibly, adjust planned production output accordingly.

What does this mean for automakers and automotive marketers?

1. If you got it, flaunt it

Even automakers with only a single hybrid in their lineups need to allow consumers to search for vehicles this way on their sites. They should be promoting both existing and future vehicles that use hybrid technology as well as those that deliver above-average fuel efficiency.

Those manufacturers with only a limited supply of current model year hybrid can still let consumers sign up online for a waitlist for next year’s model. They can also use their brand sites to educate consumers about other fuel-efficient vehicles in their lineup that are currently available.

2. How will consumers find it?
Think also of how consumers are searching for hybrid vehicles. Overall, English-speaking consumers are more likely to enter “hybrid car” as a search term than “green car,” “hybrid auto” or “fuel efficient car,” according to Google Trends data spanning January 2004 through March 2008. Automakers should keep in mind the reach of their sites and the relevant audience. In the U.S. and Canada, consumers are far more likely to search for “hybrid car” than “green car” while in Australia and the UK the reverse is true.

3. Greening your online brand presence
Offline, marketers aren’t just selling a car, they are selling a lifestyle. Online, OEM sites need to deliver more than pricing and photos, they need to deliver an experience.

Automakers who want to reach online consumers interested in buying green and/or fuel-efficient vehicles need to better align their brand with these consumer’s values and their expectations.

Automotive brand, or related sites, can be used to educate consumers about fuel-saving tips and related advice. Just as the Apple site has a set of free resources for educators and the Whole Foods site has weekly blogs about sustainability and natural body care and supplements, automakers can similarly educate their site visitors on green driving topics.

Related links:

Auto Alliance: Hybrids and Alternative-Fuel Autos on Sale Now
Cars.com Pressroom: Record Gas Prices Drive More Searches for Fuel-Efficient Cars on Cars.com; April 4, 2008
eBay University Online: What’s New at eBay Motors

Automaker Online Showrooms with Hybrid and/or Fuel Efficient Sections
Dodge Vehicle Lineup (Coming Soon)
GMC Model Selector
Honda Vehicle Showroom
Lexus All Models
Saturn New Vehicle Lineup
Toyota Model Selector

Independent Automotive Research and Shopping Sites with Green/Hybrid Sections
AOL Autos: Hybrid Cars and Green Driving
Autotrader.com: Hybrid
Cars.com: New Hybrid Vehicles and 2008 Hybrid Buying Guide
The Consumer Guide to 2008 Hybrid Vehicles
eBay Motors: Alternative Fuel Vehicle
Edmunds.com: Green Car Advisor and 2008 Hybrid Buying Guide
KBB: Hybrids
MSN Autos: Green Central
Yahoo! Autos: Green Center

The Big Ask is a campaign by Friends of the Earth EWNI (England, Wales and Northern Ireland)
asking for a new climate change law in the United Kingdom.

If The Big Ask climate change campaign site is any indication there is plenty of conversation to be had. The site helps British people ask their politicians to take action on climate change. One current initiative is pushing for Porsche to accept a proposed higher congestion charge that will be levied on cars in London that emit more than 225g of CO2 per kilometer.

Starting the conversation is just the first step – taking action is next. Players like Progressive Insurance who have a vested interest and consumer product to sell are out actively pushing for change. In March Progressive became the title sponsor of the Automotive X Prize competition and is funding the $10 million prize purse.

Applications for the Progressive Automotive X Prize will be accepted through mid-2008

The Progressive Automotive X Prize is a competition designed to inspire fuel-efficient vehicles with viability in the consumer market. The independent and technology-neutral competition is open to teams from around the world that can design, build and sell 100 MPGe (miles per gallon energy equivalent) vehicles that people want to buy, and that meet market needs for price, size, capability, safety and performance.

Not only can potential competitors learn more about the prize on the Progressive X Prize Foundation site, visitors can participate in the conversation by commenting on the site’s blog or in the community forum.

Also making news at last month’s New York International Auto Show was the Subaru R1e electric car, which the company claims is its “vision of the future.” Developed by Subaru in partnership with the Tokyo Electric Power Company, the utility has been testing a fleet of R1e electric cars since 2006. This summer the New York Power Authority will begin using two of the R1es with Subaru evaluating the results.

To support the unfurling of this vision Subaru launched a simple, yet effective, website dedicated to pushing the conversation forward. After listing the benefits and capabilities of the R1e the website simply has an open field that asks “What are your thoughts?” Although it does not say where these comments go or what they are for, at least someone inside Subaru thought it was important enough to ask. Subaru is continuing the conversation.

What does this mean for automakers and automotive marketers?

While, there is no shortage of opportunities to support, sponsor or challenge consumers’ green activities, the first lesson is a simple one – listen. Online activists want an outlet to share ideas and the closer they can get to sharing with industry insiders the more they will feel a part of making change. Brands that have an open door policy stand to gain consumer loyalty and evangelism.

Related links: Other places sparking the conversation . . .

Honda Problem Playground
AutoblogGreen
Green Maven Blog
Ford Eco Driving Skills
Land Rover

One example is the Facebook Carpool application where users can find ride-sharing partners. They can view ride sharing in their network, search for rides, submit requests, track miles, check Google Maps and read profiles of carpoolers.

Another example supporting carpooling is GoLoco, which was created by Robin Chase, co-founder of Zipcar, to connect drivers with passengers and cut down on the number of cars on the road. While GoLoco also exists as a Faceback app, there is a central website at www.GoLoco.org

But social networking is not just for ride-sharing logistics. Experiences like Facebook are also a great way to find others to join the common cause and automotive manufacturers are beginning to sponsor the discussion within social networking environments. Just last month Toyota announced that it would give $50,000 to the Arbor Day Foundation toward the Tree Planter Facebook application. This allowed the first 50,000 Facebook users to gift trees to friends with Toyota making the $1 donation to cover the cost of the gift.

For every Facebook app or MySpace page there is also an individual website or two where like-minded users can chat about the virtues of being green. Even homegrown efforts have captured the attention of leaders in the automotive industry. Lyle Dennis, who runs the GM Volt site set up a townhall-style meeting during the New York auto show where GM Volt supporters could ask questions of GM engineers and execs.

What does this mean for automakers and automotive marketers?

If eco-friendliness is an important brand value, marketers can choose from a host tactics to encourage additional networking among green fans. The audience expects authenticity from any corporate supporter of the cause. Marketers that can pass that test could:

• Build a better tool: Find a need within the community and fill it
• Tie existing owner experiences to these communities: Pull social modules into OEM owner sites and vice versa
• Give data: OEM’s have access to data that may truly help consumer make decisions and improve activities related to issues like emissions and fuel economy. Share the knowledge.
• Give insight: Say what you’ve researched to spark more conversation.
• Help in any way you can, authentically.

Related links:

Hybrid Synergy Drive Community
Yokohoma’s, Eco Treadsetters

Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive Community site is one of several digital initiatives that the company has pursued to establish itself as a green automotive brand online.

Have you played the automaker brand association game? Someone says the name of a manufacturer and you respond with the one word that is most closely identified with it. Volvo = Safety. BMW = Performance. And Toyota? Easy. Quality, right? Actually, more car owners associate it with Green.

While it helps that Toyota is one of the Top 10 Green Brands, online consumer perception has been shaped by the automaker’s dedicated focus to aligning its brand with their needs.

The automaker has added a hybrid filter to its online showroom, created a site about its Hybrid Synergy Drive technology and a community site that lets Toyota hybrid owners create a profile based on their reasons for purchasing their vehicle.

Even consumers who aren’t currently in market, but interested in where Toyota stands on green issues, need go no further than the company’s Open Road blog, where “Being Green” is listed as the first category.

That same blog has been employed by the automaker in recent months to address criticism from environmental advocacy groups that it is “two-faced on fuel economy.”

Perhaps due to this criticism from the environmental community, Toyota has made a number of online and offline moves recently in support of conservation efforts.

While these efforts are laudable, full-line brands like Toyota need to maintain alignment between their green branding efforts and promoting products that are not as eco-friendly.

Related links:

• Top 10 Green Brands, PR Newswire, May 1, 2007
• Top Five in Brand Perception by Category, Consumer Reports, January 2008
• Toyota: Hybrid Synergy Drive and Hybrid Synergy Drive Community
• Toyota Open Road blog: Being Green
• Toyota Campaign to Scuttle Stronger Fuel Economy Measures in Energy Bill Undermines Its Green Reputation, Union of Concerned Scientists, October 5, 2007
• Arbor Day Foundation and Toyota Partner to Make VirtualTrees… Real, Toyota, March 20, 2008
• Audubon and Toyota Announce Five-Year Alliance to Promote Conservation Action and Grow Leaders of Tomorrow, Audubon, March 26, 2008
• The hybrid promise: one owner’s experience

Ford Model T

“The Ford Model T, which was invented in 1908, got 25 miles to the gallon, whereas in 2004 the average car got only 20.8 miles per gallon. Not only was the Model T more efficient than many of today’s vehicles, it was also capable of running on either gasoline or ethanol. Of course, the Model T had a much smaller engine and lower top speed than today’s cars, but consider that 100 years of engineering has given us cars that, while fast, safe and comfortable, deliver worse fuel economy than did the first production vehicle.” Treehugger.com Pop Quiz: Model T vs. Modern