There are a few aftermaket kits available right now that can turn any car into a hybrid, as long as you're willing to plunk down $10,000.

The technology is there, but is the money? And will that investment pay off for a consumer in the long run?

The amount of money you save on gas may not even make up the premium you pay for a hybrid car, and I'm sorry to say this, but many hybrid shoppers are thinking about their wallets first and the environment later.

Fortunately, automakers have to pay close attention to consumer demand, reagardless of what drives it. Truck and SUV sales are plummeting. Car buyers are considering smaller, more fuel-efficient cars.

This may not make the Volt come to the market any faster, but it will at least send the signal to automakers that there will continue to be demand for alternatives to traditional gas guzzlers, whether hybrid, plug-in hybrid, all-electric, diesel, natural gas or anything else.