As General Motors Corp., pushes forward with the Volt, an electric-gas hybrid, turning a profit on the new technology is a different problem entirely, Maryann Keller, an industry analyst told The Washington Post Tuesday.

"In 10 years are they going to solve the technological problems with respect to the Volt? Sure," Keller said. "But are they going to be able to stake their survival … on it? I'd say they can't," she said.

On balance, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said the future of the industry is visible. "We already know what that future is: The plug-in hybrid electric car," he said.

President-elect Barack Obama and others, however, have said they would support a "sustainable U.S. auto industry," which Keller said has to rely on "Malibus, the Chevy Cruze and much more conventional technologies."

Modeling the future on Toyota's hybrid Prius, may be difficult. To date, Toyota has sold about 1 million Priuses but loses money on the model due to its expensive batteries, the Post reported.