Conventional Gasoline Engines A Minority In 2 Years? Not So Fast...

Progress must be coming at a much faster pace than we thought: Conventional gasoline engines will power only a minority of the new cars sold just two years hence, according to a new report.

That means more than half the vehicles sold will have hybrid, diesel, natural gas, or plug-in electric powertrains, right?

DON'T MISS: Auto Industry Doing Fine In Meeting Gas-Mileage Goals, It Turns Out

Stunning.

Except that's actually not quite what the report, Automotive Fuel Efficiency Technologies (via The Car Connection), actually says.

A gasoline engine stops being "conventional," in Navigant's eyes, if it acquires a start-stop system. Or a turbocharger. Or any one of a number of other technologies aimed at improving efficiency and reducing fuel use.

Start-stop systems are in the process of sweeping through new cars sold in Europe and Asia, and they're now showing up on increasing numbers of new cars in North America as well.

ALSO SEE: EPA Wants Carmakers To Verify Gas Mileage With Road Testing Too