Alternative fuels on bumpy road

The price of conventional fuels is just one variable that makes it hard to know when fuel-cell, biofuel, and natural-gas technologies will come into their own.

Despite plenty of question marks surrounding alternative fuels, OEMs are hard at work advancing associated vehicle technologies in the hope that market demand eventually will justify their investments in them.

The price of conventional fuels is a very important variable that affects the pace of advance not only in terms of vehicle technology development, but also in infrastructure development. And price uncertainty doesn't help in solving the chicken-or-egg dilemma regarding whether establishment of an infrastructure is a prerequisite to drive sales of alternative-fuel vehicles, or vice versa.