Carmakers and industry analysts are predicting that it’ll be decades before we’ll see a significant drop in global automotive fuel consumption. Despite the introduction of highly efficient diesel and electric-hybrid technology, the AFP is reporting that consumers are not adopting them quickly enough to seriously reduce consumption levels.

The highest demand for hybrid vehicles comes from the US, but even this is less than 1% of global demand for cars, and is not expected to rise anytime soon. The higher price tag coupled with the less than substantial improvements in mileage rates has deterred most consumers from choosing the enviro-friendly vehicles.

It’s still questionable as to when or if biofuels such as ethanol will make an impact, while zero-emission hydrogen vehicles are still five to ten years away from becoming marketable and a hydrogen fuel delivery system still has to be developed.

Car companies have been criticised for not focusing on alternative fuels, especially Ford even though it was one of the first carmakers to release a hybrid vehicle and has proposed to offer E-85 flexible fuel engines for half of its lineup in the near future.