Chicago (IL) - With national gas prices approaching an average of $3.40 per gallon, it may not be too surprising that the interest in less fuel-hungry is increasing these days. Cars.com recently found that 59% of car shoppers already have purchased or at least consider buying a hybrid car as their next car. Based on vehicle research on its site, Cars.com now came up with some numbers that could shed some light on a possible regional demand of hybrid cars.

According to the site, shoppers in and around San Francisco showed the highest interest in hybrid cars nationwide, with more than 5.6% of all searches targeting hybrid vehicles. San Francisco is followed by Portland (4.8%), Seattle (4.0%), Sacramento (4.0%) and San Diego (3.9%). At the bottom of the list, which indicates the least interest in hybrid cars in the 50 largest U.S. car markets, are Houston (1.9%), Oklahoma City (1.9%), Memphis (1.9%), Birmingham (1.8%) and Miami/Fort Lauderdale (1.8%).

We leave it up to you to decide whether actual pump prices have something to do with the interest in hybrid cars: As of this morning, GasBuddy.com lists regular gas prices of at least $3.65 and as much as $4.11 per gallon (average: $3.89) for the San Francisco area, compared to a range of $3.26 to $3.88 (average: $3.43) for Miami. People in Tulsa currently pay the least for gas ($3.12). The national average, according to GasBuddy.com, was $3.36.

Here is the complete list of interest in hybrid cars:

1) San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose 5.622
2) Portland, Ore. 4.784
3) Seattle 3.979
4) Sacramento, Calif. 3.973
5) San Diego 3.912
6) Los Angeles 3.504
7) Denver 3.394
8) Washington, D.C. 3.225
9) Minneapolis/St. Paul 3.188
10) Boston 3.174
11) Phoenix 3.163
12) Charlotte, N.C. 3.135
13) Raleigh/Durham, N.C. 3.098
14) Harrisburg, Pa. 2.811
15) Indianapolis 2.792
16) Hartford, Conn. 2.783
17) Salt Lake City 2.712
18) Louisville, Ky. 2.669
19) Las Vegas 2.625
20) Albuquerque/Santa Fe, N.M. 2.613
21) Kansas City, Mo. 2.610
22) Chicago 2.600
23) GreensboroWinston-Salem, N.C. 2.460
24) Nashville, Tenn. 2.427
25) Columbus, Ohio 2.389
26) Philadelphia 2.384
27) West Palm Beach, Fla. 2.349
28) Detroit 2.317
29) Greenville, SC 2.308
30) Milwaukee 2.307
31) Buffalo, N.Y. 2.307
32) Tampa/St. Petersburg, Fla. 2.302
33) Grand Rapids, Mich. 2.286
34) St. Louis 2.266
35) San Antonio, Texas 2.249
36) New York City 2.220
37) Orlando, Fla. 2.207
38) Cincinnati 2.202
39) Pittsburgh 2.148
40) Cleveland 2.148
41) Baltimore 2.089
42) Norfolk, Va. 2.081
43) Jacksonville , Fla. 2.000
44) Atlanta 1.995
45) Dallas/Fort Worth 1.960
46) Houston 1.937
47) Oklahoma City 1.913
48) Memphis, Tenn. 1.851
49) Birmingham, Ala. 1.844
50) Miami/Fort Lauderdale 1.829

Prices inhibit adoption

Apr 11, 2008 11:22     

Interest might be high, but with the exorbitant fees dealers are changing for hybrids, many many people just will not buy them cause it is not cost effective. This does not refer to the prius, which happens to be reasonable (sometimes), but to many of the other cars. Plus with the self-imposed scarcity - factories purposefully restricting output, the prices are already inflated cause of the S & D curve. I think many consumers would "want" a hybrid if it made financial sense. For the 5-7000 dollars extra for the hybrid (in some best case scenarios) it just doesn't pay. Those numbers will definately sore as hybrid prices come down out of the stratosphere

Jon report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Shocker

Apr 11, 2008 11:56     

The more self centered the more they like hybrids. Many would be amazed to learn that battery back hybrid electric vehicle are actually less efferent in terms of dollars and aren't really green. Need proof? Hybrid battery packs are made in some of the biggest polluting factories known to man. Over the course of 5 years (avg life span of the battery pack) the amount of CO2 and toxins dumped into the air, water, and soil while making that battery back is equal to what a gas burning engine puts into the air over the course of 5 years. Lets not forget dispose of that battery pack and what it pumps into the ground and water. Money wise gas would need to be $7-9 a gallon to make up for the added costs of the hybrid vehicle. Anyway if you don't believe me go ahead and google some articles about how un-green battery back hybrids are. Other hybrid techs have some promise but the key factor is how can we do it efficiently and greenly. So far none of them have proven to do both. Buy your hybrid if you want to show off but don't think ur being green, because, ur not.

Marko report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

It's not about being green

Apr 12, 2008 10:01     

It's about saving money at the pump. I for one, don't care about whether or not my battery pack is green. I don't care if I'm saving the environment. I'm intelligent enough to know that all energy comes at a price. The electric cars certainly weren't green. I want a hybrid so I can fill up less often and spend less money on gas. Right now, the Prius seems to be the only hybrid with significantly better mpg. The Civic and Camry hybrids aren't big enough gas savers to warrant their current price tags.

Task report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Saving money

Apr 13, 2008 22:07     

Task, What Marko is saying is true. If you are buying a hybrid vehicle to save on cash, you are going at it all wrong. Sure you will save some cash at the pump, but is that worth the $3000-5000 extra you would pay *up front* for the car? $3000 will buy you 857 gallons of gas (at $3.50/gallon). If you get a non hybrid car that gets 28 mpg you can drive ~24,000 miles on that much gas. Personally, I don't think the hybrids are worth it. Just get a fuel efficient gas vehicle or a diesel.

Marc report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Hybrids not worth it, plugs are

Apr 14, 2008 00:35     

Battery factories are not dirtier than any other type of factory (including engine factories or transmission factories, etc). In fact, 98% of batteries are recycled today, that's better than anything else! Even the prius really doesn't save much money, but future plug in hybrids will save a lot of money. Electricity costs the equivalent of $1.00/gallon at $0.10/kWh (electric drive systems are much more efficient than a ICE). If you are environmental, battery electric vehicles offer the only option for cheap, carbon neutral transportation for all of us. Only real down side is we're all going to have to get new cars...

Paul Wowk report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +1