Advice To Dealers On Green-Car Sales: Focus On Cost Savings First

Green cars can't help reduce emissions or save gasoline if no one buys them.

In the U.S., sales of plug-in hybrids and electric cars have been strong in some areas, but weak in others--and it may be because dealers are emphasizing green too much.

Lincoln Merrihew--vice president, transportation for market-research firm MillwardBrown Digital--told WardsAuto that buyers are unlikely to choose a car just because it's green.

He called green a "feel-good strategy," and instead advised dealers to emphasize the potential cost savings that come with a more-efficient vehicle.

For car buyers, saving money may be more important than saving the planet.

In a 2013 customer survey, J.D. Power found that environmental impact ranked low on consumers' list of priorities.

Fuel economy, on the other hand, was the top factor for purchasing a non-premium car, and the third most important reason for purchasing a premium one.

There are many reasons for buying an electric car or plug-in hybrid, and the environment is just one of them. As well as fuel savings, many different incentives give drivers of green cars other perks.