????替代燃料汽車、包括油電混合動力車為數(shù)眾多，但有一個事實卻很少為人提及。這些車雖然燃油經(jīng)濟性更好，但車主從中省下的花費往往需要數(shù)年才能與為了它們的先進技術(shù)而額外支付的前期成本相抵。全新時尚綠色車型的生產(chǎn)商發(fā)現(xiàn)，這一點可能會影響到銷量。

????豐田汽車公司（Toyota）的綠色動力先鋒、混合動力車普銳斯（Prius）情況如何？它似乎并沒有受到太大影響。多年來，這款于1997年首次投產(chǎn)的省油小車經(jīng)歷了數(shù)次起伏，但總體來說還是廣受好評。作為曾經(jīng)的全球頭號汽車廠商，豐田過去三年里歷經(jīng)坎坷：日本的地震和海嘯，發(fā)生在美國的出人意料、破壞力極大的自動加速恐慌以及導(dǎo)致生產(chǎn)成本高企的強勢日元。而現(xiàn)在，普銳斯這一品牌已變成豐田最有價值的資產(chǎn)之一。

????如今，這一品牌已拓展到囊括了四種車型。最新一款緊湊型普銳斯C售價為19,000美元起。它的混合動力擁有每加侖燃油行駛50英里的燃油經(jīng)濟性。上個月在美國推出后，它的銷量迅速上升。豐田的發(fā)言人約翰?漢森稱：“現(xiàn)在普銳斯這一混合動力品牌已經(jīng)成為一種標志，我們能利用它向其他人群推廣。”漢森還稱，豐田的首要任務(wù)是使油電混合動力車的售價盡量保持低廉。

????普銳斯戰(zhàn)績輝煌。在3月的美國汽車市場上，它售出了28,711輛，在暢銷車型排行榜上排名第三，在暢銷輕型車排行榜上排在第六位（上個月也是這款車有史以來銷量最好的一個月）。今年頭兩個月，普銳斯的銷量與上年同期相比增長了33%。新款車型，比如普銳斯C和較大型的Venza酷越車應(yīng)該分別占豐田今年公布的普銳斯總銷量的15%和18%。迄今為止，這款車全球總銷量已超過250萬輛，其中將近一半在美國。

????不過，未來仍然充滿挑戰(zhàn)。上周一，汽車市場研究機構(gòu)R.L. Polk公司發(fā)布的一項研究報告表明，購買各個品牌的混合動力車的車主中，僅有35%的人會再買一臺這種類型的車。相比之下，普銳斯的車主中有41%的人會再買一輛混合動力車。Polk公司宣稱，這一相對較低的重復(fù)購買率反映了“一種跡象，即消費者會因為高油價而不斷尋求其他解決方案”。而福特汽車（Ford）“嘉年華”（Fiesta）和通用汽車（GM）雪佛蘭“索尼克”（Sonic）等廉價小車的普及能讓消費者能更容易地省下油錢。

????可與普銳斯C相提并論的同級車是本田汽車（Honda）的飛度（Fit）。這款車的綜合油耗是每加侖30英里，起售價為15,755美元。要花約三年零兩個月的時間省下的油錢才能與普銳斯C高出一般水平的售價相抵。因此，和純汽油動力的飛度相比，普銳斯C的車主只有在保有時間超過34個月的回本期后，才能真正享受到省油和省錢的好處。專業(yè)汽車網(wǎng)站Edmunds.com的分析師米歇爾?克瑞布斯稱：“混合動力車最大的問題是它們在經(jīng)濟上并不劃算。它們的勁敵正是那些省油車型?！?/p>

????The little-mentioned truth about many alternative-fuel vehicles, including gas-electric hybrids, is that savings from their improved fuel economy can often take years to recoup the additional up-front costs of their advanced technology. Purveyors of fancy new green cars are finding out that can take a bite out of sales.

????What about the pioneer of the Prius hybrid, Toyota Motor (TM)? Not so much. First produced in 1997, the diminutive gas-sipper has weathered ups and downs but has also come to enjoy a generally positive reputation. The former No. 1 auto manufacturer in the world is regrouping from three difficult years that include an earthquake and tsunami in Japan, a devastating unintended acceleration scare in the U.S. and a strong yen that makes its vehicles costly to produce. Now, the Prius brand name has evolved into one of the company's most valuable assets.

????The brand has expanded to include four models. The latest version, the compact Prius c, starts at about $19,000. It has a combined fuel economy of 50 miles per gallon and is off to a very fast start in sales after introduction in the U.S. last month. "Now we're able to take advantage of what has become the iconic hybrid brand and expand into other demographics," explains John Hanson, a Toyota spokesman. Hanson says Toyota's priority is to keep the price of gas-electric hybrids as low as possible.

????The Prius is on a remarkable run. It was the third best-selling car and the sixth-best selling light vehicle, with sales of 28,711 units, in March in the U.S. (Last month was also the best sales month ever for the model.) Through the first two months of the year, Prius sales were up 33% from a year earlier. New variants, such as the c and the larger v crossover, should make up for 15% and 18% of total Prius sales this year Toyota has claimed. Global sales to date have total more than 2.5 million units, nearly half of those rolling off American car lots.

????Still, there are challenges ahead. A study released Monday by the R.L. Polk automotive research firm shows that only 35% of hybrid owners — made by all manufacturers -- buy a second one. In contrast, 41% of Prius owners buy another hybrid. Polk said the relatively low repeat buyer rate reflects "an indication that consumers are continuing to seek alternative solutions to high fuel prices." A proliferation of inexpensive small cars, like the Ford (F) Fiesta and GM's (GM) Chevrolet Sonic, have made fuel efficiency much easier for consumers to obtain.

????Comparing the Prius c with Honda (HMC) Fit, which is rated at a combined 30 miles per gallon and starts at $15,775, it would take about three years and two months to save enough in gasoline to compensate for the more expensive price of the car. Thus, Prius c owners who keep their cars longer than the 34-month payback period are saving gasoline and money, compared to the gasoline-powered Fit. "The biggest problem with hybrids is they don't make sense economically," said Michelle Krebs, an analyst with Edmunds.com. "Their biggest enemy is the fuel-efficient engine."