Alternative-fuel cars now seen as mainstream, surveys say

Alternative-fuel cars now seen as mainstream, surveys say

Two recent online surveys suggest that alternative-fuel vehicles (AFVs) may have moved from the early adopter stage to the mainstream, even as their numbers remain small, notes Mark Phelan, auto columnist for the Detroit Free Press.

Just over half of respondents to an Autotrader poll said if they are considering buying an alternative-fuel vehicle, they want it to look the same as a regular car. That clearly shows a different mindset from the early Prius buyers, who wanted their car choice to shout –green.” Now AFV buyers just want to blend in.

And when visitors to Autopartswarehouse.com were asked what they thought of AFVs, an impressive 86 percent said hybrids and EVs are here to stay, and 55 percent said they would consider buying one.

More than half said the fuel savings wouldnêt be worth the extra cost. The would-be buyers are willing to pay extra for the environmental benefit.