Alternative fuel vehicle sales growing

With high prices and rising energy costs, more Americans are buying alternative fuel autos, including diesel, hybrids, and ethanol fuel vehicles. The number of alternative fuel vehicles on the road has reached 9 million- last year there were reported to be 8.3 million and an additional 700,000 have been purchased in the first half of 2006. Automakers now sell 46 models of alternative fuel autos, including hybrids, clean diesels, and ethanol vehicles capable of running on 85 percent ethanol (or E85 vehicles). A list of these vehicles can be viewed at http://www.DiscoverAlternatives.com. Another 35 models of alternative fuel autos are in development for future introduction according to a press release from the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.

"Our priority is to get the word out that alternative fuel autos are on sale now, and these vehicles are the quickest way to reduce gasoline use," said Fred Webber, president and CEO of the automobile alliance.

The number of alternative fuel autos on U.S. roads has more than doubled recently, from 3 million in 2000 to 8.3 million in 2005 (R.L. Polk & Co. data). Automakers have a goal of selling 1 million of the vehicles in 2006 and 2 million by 2008, the alliance said. It should make us all proud to know that we are starting to pick up speed (no pun intended) in our quest to move away from standard gasoline powered vehicles.