Gauging The Demand

The hype is racing ahead of consumer appetite for alternative-fuel vehicles, industry experts say. Only a small fraction of the cars on the roads are hybrids and diesels, which get better fuel mileage than gasoline-only cars and burn cleaner than they used to. While such vehicles have distinct advantages, consumers for the most part seem unwilling to pay their higher prices. As a result, carmakers will push ahead cautiously before deciding to turn out large numbers of the vehicles.

washingtonpost