By Lindsay Tice,Staff Writer

Four years ago, Gary Nielsen was one of the first in Maine to get a hybrid car.

When he bought his second one last week, he was part of a crowd.

The 2005 Toyota Prius had just been delivered to the dealership. So many buyers are looking for them, it was a rare and lucky find.

“Demand is high right now,” said Vinnie Goulette, general manager at Emerson Toyota in Auburn, where Nielsen bought his Prius. “There’s really none of the cars left on any Toyota lots in Maine.”

Nielsen’s first Toyota Prius was an oddity: a funny-looking, gas-electric car.

When they were first sold in the United States in 1999, most hybrids were bought by environmentalists. The cars used both gasoline and electricity and charged while in use. They could run hundreds of miles on a single tank of gas.

The Prius and the Honda Insight, a small, football-shaped car, were among the first ones on the market.

Recently, manufacturers have targeted drivers looking for full-sized cars with high gas mileage. Honda added hybrid versions of its Civic and Accord, and Ford created a hybrid version of its Escape SUV. Others, including Chevrolet and Lexus, will come out with their own hybrids later this year or early next.

All are quiet and fuel-efficient. They are nearly identical to their gas-only counterparts, except for a couple of extra gauges and a battery that takes up storage space. They can also earn new buyers small federal and state tax breaks.

Advocates say national sales have skyrocketed from 9,350 in 2000 to 88,000 in 2004.

Figures for Maine are not available, but as gas prices climb over $2.15 a gallon, local dealers say they’ve seen interest in hybrids surge.

“We sell as many as we can possibly get,” said Goulette at Emerson Toyota

Toyota sends Emerson about seven hybrids a month, but it’s not enough to fill demand. The dealership has trouble keeping even one on the lot for people to try.

“It’s tough. A lot of times I don’t even have a car on the lot for them to test drive,” Goulette said.

Neilsen got lucky. The dealership had just received a green 2005 Prius.

Neilsen snatched it up.

“It drives just like a normal car, but you feel better about it,” he said.

Not for everyone

Across the street, Lee Auto Mall’s hybrid sales have also grown.

Because Honda markets its two-seater Insight directly to state governments, most of Lee’s hybrid sales come from the Civic and Accord. Both can accommodate two adults, a couple of kids and groceries without a problem. They can get 30 to 50 miles per gallon.

“We’ve seen the local folks who just want to fight against gas prices a little,” said Rick Lashua, general sales manager.

Honda sends Lee about 10 hybrids a month. At one point, buyers had to wait two to three months for cars. That’s down to a day or two since Honda increased production.

It’s still not enough.

“We could sell 20 of them a month if we could get them,” Lashua said.

But while sales have been brisk, Lashua said, the price tag still deters some. The Civic and Accord hybrids cost thousands more than their counterparts. The gas mileage difference isn’t huge.

“The hybrid isn’t for every single person,” Lashua said.

At Rowe Auburn Motor Sales, Dennis Jordan agreed.

A customer service representative who sells Fords, Jordan fields questions every week about his hybrids. But the hybrid SUV costs nearly $7,000 more than the traditional Escape. It could take years for new owners to recoup that in fuel efficiency.

Some potential buyers also worry about future costs, such as expensive battery replacement. To ease those concerns, Ford dealers in New England have extended the battery warranty to 10 years or 100,000 miles.

Locally, the biggest drawback for buyers is more simple. The vehicles are hard to find.

“Even if they came in today and wanted one, they’d have to wait and get an ’06,” Jordan said.