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John Daley reportingGas prices climbed another two and a half cents to a new record over the past two weeks, according to a national survey.
The nationwide average, based on 8,000 stations around the country, is now at $1.82 for all grades. That's up almost 32 cents since late December.
That has many motorists thinking seriously about fuel economy.
One sure sign of that is that demand has gone through the roof for cars like the Honda hybrid.
What makes that car special is that it has a gasoline engine which gets some help from an electric motor, powered by a battery.
And that gives the car a stunning 68 miles per gallon on the highway.
Demand is so high, dealers can't seem to keep Hybrids in stock. Mark Miller Toyota reports that it currently has 40 people on a waiting list-- which is 9 months long-- for the Hybrid Prius.
The high cost of gas combined with turmoil in the Middle East is driving some car buyers to consider the Hybrids. For others it's environmental concerns, like air pollution and global warming.
Jim Smith/ Sales Representative/Mark Miller Toyota: "High gas prices I think is part of it. But I think as much a part of that is instability in the Middle East. And who knows what's going to happen there."
Polly Hart/ Hybrid Car Owner: "It helps the air. It helps lessen our dependence on foreign oil. There's no loss here in having a hybrid car."
Next year there will be nearly a dozen other new hydrid models on the market.
