Car makers put more stock in hybrid systems than biodiesel.

This post from CNET News says a survey conducted by KPMG asked 200 senior auto executives to rate the most important alternative fuel technologies to their industry over the next five years:

When asked to rate which were the most important alternative fuel technologies to the auto industry over the next five years, hybrid systems were ranked first followed by battery electric power, fuel cell electric power, and biodiesel, respectively.

“Automotive manufacturers are in the challenging position of being asked to compete on both technology and cost. With global consumers still feeling the pinch of the recession, those OEMs who can deliver on this equation will be in the driver’s seat,” Gary Silberg, national automotive industry leader for KPMG, said in a statement.

An interesting twist to the survey says that the execs believe that fuel efficiency and environmental friendliness are the top two biggest impacts on customers’ buying decisions … which are two of the biggest attributes of biodiesel. Go figure.