DEMAND for hybrid vehicles is beating supply, with almost 3000 petrol/electric powered cars and SUVs having been sold this year. While business fleets are two-thirds of hybrid business, Honda’s Civic sedan is challenging Toyota’s Prius, the car which is virtually synonymous with green motoring. Priced at $32,990, almost $5000 less than the cheapest Prius, 603 Civics have been sold in Australia so far this year, up from 501 for the same period in 2007. Mr Higgins said a positive in the Civic hybrid’s favour was that it looked like the normal petrol sedan. But Honda’s natural-gas powered Civic, billed as the world’s cleanest combustion engine, is unlikely for Australia as there is no refuelling infrastructure. While business fleets are two-thirds of hybrid business, Honda’s Civic sedan is challenging Toyota’s Prius, the car which is virtually synonymous with green motoring. read more

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