London - The US' appetite for economical diesel-electric hybrid cars is waning as the recession bites and prices at the petrol pumps fall, according to the US-based Autodata motoring information service.

The news is a further blow to beleaguered US car companies General Motors, Chrysler and Ford who have been investing heavily in hybrid and fuel-efficient technology in a bid to attract new customers to the marques.

US hybrid sales fell in November 2008 by 53 per cent over the same month in 2007 against an overall drop in car sales of 37 per cent, reported the Financial Times newspaper in London, quoting the Autodata survey.

Hybrids in the United States generally cost between 3,000 and 5,000 dollars more than their conventional petrol equivalents.

The downturn has particularly dented sales of Toyota's ground-breaking Prius hybrid and petrol-electric models from Lexus, reports the Green Car Congress. Sales of the Prius in December 2008 were down 44.7 per cent to 7,859 units. The company is due to unveil the third generation Prius at the Detroit car show which opens later this month. (dpa)