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Obama's 1 Million Plug-In Hybrid Promise WASHINGTON, D.C. (Associated Press) -

President Barack Obama's campaign pledge to put 1 million plug-in hybrid cars on the road by 2015 is fraught with difficulties, from technical and engineering hurdles to the realities of the economy and the price of gasoline.

It took eight long years to get 1 million hybrids on the road in the United States, and even a White House task force says one of the leading new plug-in cars being developed is too expensive to gain popularity any time soon.

Plug-in motorists can drive a limited number of miles on battery power before the engine switches over to run on gasoline or other fuels. The car plugs into a wall outlet at night and is ready to go electric again in the morning.

Obama's goal could help revitalize the struggling U.S. auto industry and begin shifting motorists away from the gas pump. But to many, it's overly optimistic.

© Copyright 2012, Associated Press