A few years ago, hybrid cars were viewed as the motor industry’s future. With intense calls to minimize the use of fuel-emitting traditional motors as well as increasing prices of gas, hybrid cars were clearly an attractive choice. The number of people purchasing the cars and investing in them also increased. Fast forwarding to 2016, it is undeniably clear that things have changed in the auto industry. Among the notable changes is the falling prices of cars. Hence, this poses a major question as to whether investing in hybrid vehicles is still worth it.

When the prices of gas stumbled the previous year, calls were made that electric and hybrid vehicles could not compete with gasoline powered cars. This is because a gallon of gas was priced at $2 in comparison to hybrid cars whose upfront cost was high. However, the low gas prices seem to have had a contrary effect to the green vehicle purchasing trend. Since the gas prices fell, more people chose to purchase hybrid cars. Hybrid car manufacturers overcompensated the low gas prices with discounts on the upfront prices of their cars. Last year, the sales of green cars hit a historical high of 17.8 million.

Another persuading factor is the role that the owners of hybrid cars are playing in conserving the planet. This premise only isn’t sufficient enough to convince a person to purchase a green car. Hence, so as to increase their financial viability, manufacturers are forced to give huge discounts on these hybrid cars. A major challenge and issue that has been raised is concerning their size. Research indicates that more purchasers are opting for larger cars such as people carriers and SUVs.

One of the most prominent names when it comes to hybrid cars is Toyota, famed for its Prius model. The automaker has gained so much popularity that it doesn’t have to put a lot of effort to attract customers. The automaker doesn’t have a plan of changing its strategy any time soon. According to its spokesperson, the company believes that its high bargaining power will play a role in making its prices stick. This is absolutely true since more than fifty percent of hybrid owners would settle for a Toyota model or its Lexus counterpart. These two companies have garnered a sufficient market and can comfortably sell models without enticing new customers. Generally, hybrid vehicles are a worthy investment with most manufacturers giving incredible savings. With the current market instability, one cannot predict when the prices of gas will increase again.