This is a very good point, I
This is a very good point, I think the old analogy applies here if you want to build a strong bridge, one way to do it is build it with the strongest and most expensive material. The second option is to make it as strong as it should be an no more with cheaper material.
It is not too difficult to stick a big battery and build a 100+mpg hybrid but if the car is too expensive or has limited guaranteed life, customers will not buy. Gone are the days when people would ask their friends and buy a car by word of mouth. These days especially the younger generation are very up-to-date and in contact with reliable and accurate information and they are very capable of taking well informed decisions.