And as soon as more fuel became available and emissions control technology and driveability had improved to the point of making larger cars and trucks cleaner and more efficient, the majority of American car buyers were eager to move on to bigger, more powerful choices. By the '80s, we still had the ability to purchase small, wonderfully gas-stingy cars. That's akin to asking McDonald's to concentrate on expensive tofu and bean-sprout sandwiches when America is demanding even more cheap cheeseburgers. Sure, the former is likely better for us than the latter, but that's not what most people are willing to plunk down their hard-earned cash for. It's simple math.
New technology costs lots of money.
It's not that folks hate fuel-efficient cars, it's just that they won't bear the price difference. But nobody is willing to pay money for this, so it's a challenge for the engineers. And Reginald Modlin, DaimlerChrysler's director of U.S. environmental and energy planning, was quick to agree. He reported that company research shows American consumers are willing to pay for environmentally friendly cars, but only on a marginal basis. And that poses a problem for product planners and marketers who must carry the corporate mantle of trying to be good global citizens.