people don t care about the toyota priusis it time to say goodbyeWhat happens when you mix sky-high gas prices with the sudden end of federal EV tax credits? A massive surge in hybrid sales, as it turns out - but not all hybrids are enjoying the fun times.A year after federal electric vehicle subsidies officially went bye-bye, pure EV sales have predictably fallen down the stairs. But with fuel prices now squeezing the blood out of America's household budgets, thanks to war in the Middle East, new car shoppers aren't giving up on fuel efficiency-they're just pivoting to hybrids.Automakers with robust hybrid lineups are raking in the cash, with Toyota predictably leading the race. People are gobbling up hybrid crossovers and sedans faster than ever before, yet despite a record year for hybrid adoption, the most iconic hybrid badge on the planet is getting left in the dust.Related VideoSales of the Prius are basically nonexistent.people don t care about the toyota priusis it time to say goodbyeIn September, Toyota moved more than 25,000 Camry Hybrids and almost 30,000 RAV4 Hybrids. Meanwhile, standard Prius sales dropped to a dismal 1,897 units for the month, down from an already lukewarm 2,011 units sold the previous September.In fact, Toyota actually sold more battery-electric bZ models in September than standard Prius hybrids. You have to combine sales of the standard hybrid Prius with the plug-in Prius just to barely edge out Toyota's single EV entry. Year to date, total Prius sales have crumbled by 51 percent, dropping to just 16,731 units.There is a strong case to be made that the Prius doesn't really even need to exist anymore.people don t care about the toyota priusis it time to say goodbyeShoppers can get versions of Toyota's reliable hybrid system up and down the lineup from Corolla to Camry to RAV4, through to the Tundra, Tacoma, and Sequoia. In fact, outside of the sporty boy Supra and GR86, you can pretty much get almost any model in the Toyota showroom with a hybrid powertrain now.So why buy a freaky-looking hatchback that resembles a doorstop when you can get a popular crossover body style with the same fuel-saving hardware under the hood? Sure, the Prius is now basically stylish compared to its awkward, frumpy origins in the early aughts, but most American buyers are not stylish people - they want to buy RAV4s and shop for Diet Coke at Walmart.Become an AutoGuide insider. Get the latest from the automotive world first by subscribing to our newsletter.