One advantage of hybrids.
It is indisputable that the arrival of the Prius and its hybrid brethren and the slowly closing price gap between them and conventional vehicles has pushed conventional vehicle technology.
The MPG ratings of comparable sized and some midsized 2012 gas and diesel vehicles have risen to new heights previously thought unobtainable just 20 years ago. A significant change that is keeping conventional vehicles competitive when early pundits thought hybrid sales would over run conventional sales in a decade because of MPG alone.