Consumers: Economics Drives Buying Decisions on Alternative Fuels and Vehicles

(NACSOnline.com) Consumers look at alternative fuels and vehicles the same way that they look at traditional fuels: economics drives the purchasing decision.
Consumers say that they consider fuel economy and the cost of the vehicle far more important than any other attribute when purchasing a new vehicle, according the results of a national consumer poll released by the Fuels Institute, a non-partisan think tank dedicated to evaluating the market issues related to consumer vehicles and the fuels that power them.
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Hybrid vehicles are most appealing to those considering a new car purchase in the next three years, with 85% saying that they would consider a hybrid vehicle, which combines electric power with traditional gasoline power. Other alternative vehicles were also of some interest to consumers, including electric (55%), flex fuel (52%), diesel fuel (30%), or other fuels including propane or natural gas (22%).
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The survey results are featured in the new White Paper, "Consumers and Alternative Fuels: Economics Are Top of Mind," which is available for download at www.fuelsinstitute.org. The Institute will be publishing three additional reports in September that more closely examine consumer perceptions about non-gasoline vehicle alternatives. READ MORE Download study