US hybrid car sales up 49% till July

DETROIT: US sales of new hybrid cars were up 49% in the first seven months of this year, due largely to a boom in sales in the Midwest, an auto information and marketing company said Monday.

Oklahoma led all states with a 143% increase in hybrid sales compared with January-July 2006, said Southfield-based RL Polk Hawaii was the only state to report a decline in hybrid sales. Hybrid sales were up 57% in the Midwest, the most of any region. The Toyota Prius ( seen above) and the hybrid version of the Toyota Camry were the most popular models there.