Alternative fuel vehicle is an article that will explain the most popular alternative fuel vehicles, and the pros and cons to each one.

Alternative Fuel Vehicle

Motor vehicles contribute significantly to greenhouse gases but nevertheless the rise and rise of petrol, diesel and kerosene vehicles continues at an alarming rate. Not only do vehicles contribute net carbon gases, mainly CO and CO2, into the atmosphere which contribute to global warming and climate change but the products of combustion also produce additional local pollution.

Our apparently illogical passion to burn fossil fuels this way stems from three main factors: consumer demand, supplier economics and national interests. These driving forces are fundamentally underpinned by the fact that petroleum products (from oil and gas) are, for the time being, readily available and cheap at source. Further, up to now, there has been little in the way of competitive alternatives.

There are no totally satisfactory competitors at the moment to oil based fuels but below we discuss some imminent developments and new alternatives.

Electric Vehicles come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They can be light-duty delivery vehicles or heavy-duty trams and buses. Because the range of an EV (approximately 80 miles) is limited by weight, design, and the type of battery used, EVs are particularly well suited to short-distance, high-use applications—those that demand frequent starts and stops.

Biodiesel compression ignition internal combustion engines are common and are traditionally fueled by diesel derived from petroleum oil. Thankfully diesel is a compound which can be replaced with biodiesel which is an organically based product and is renewable. It is relatively easily produced from plant and animal oils, fats and greases. Biodiesel also gives other benefits in the pollution stakes. Biodiesel definitely gets the 'thumbs up'.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) is an alternative to petrol (gasoline) it offers lower local pollution levels than normal fuels and vehicles that run on LPG (or are converted to) receive some subsidies in the UK. This fuel is compatible with petrol and many vehicles can run on either (dual-fuel vehicles) so the limited distribution of LPG is not a problem. Its main claims to fame are its reduced local pollution and it is also cheaper to run.

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) In practice, LNG and CNG are replacements for petro-diesel and suitable for heavier freight vehicles. Natural gas is intrinsically cleaner than petroleum gas but since it is a fossil fuel it is not renewable and contributes to global warming. At a local level it produces much less pollution than petrol or diesel and its use attracts financial incentives. The fuel tanks are specially designed for intense refrigeration (LNG) or high pressure (CNG) which makes them larger and heavier.

Fuel cells are not, strictly speaking, renewable or alternative energy, they are engines which convert energy; the energy source is actually hydrogen. They are not new but the technology is complex and research and development is needed to make them more accessible. The hydrogen fuel can be derived from a variety of sources. Ideally they could be fueled by pure hydrogen, manufactured by a renewable process, but on the other hand, they might be fueled by some hydrocarbon compound. If the source of energy is renewable then we have a desirable situation but if it is petroleum derived, for example, then it is not a renewable system.

Ethanol and Methanol can be used as alternatives or complements to petrol (gasoline) and can give less local pollution. If the raw source is petroleum then they are not renewable but they can be produced organically (e.g. from sugar cane) and then they can contribute real advantages in reducing climate change. Producing these alcohol organically can also bring economic benefits, for example, to farmers.

Hybrid vehicles are still in the test stage, but they can be bought now. The proportional saving of energy (more mpg) is truly green. If we are optimistic perhaps the hybrid cars will start an alternative approach to transport, increasingly using efficient electrical motors.

Thank you to Shane McKay for this article "Alternative Fuel Vehicles".

Hydrogen Car Info Table of Contents

Hydrogen car - Introduction and home page of Going green with hydrogen fuel cell powered cars. Page 1 of this article will introduce you to the environmental toll fossil fules are putting on our environment.

Hydrogen Powered Car - Page two of Going green with hydrogen fuel cell powered cars gives you a basic introduction to the alternatives available to fossil fuels.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car - Page three of Going green with hydrogen fuel cell powered cars gets to a great possible solution to our environmental issues caused by fossil fuels, and to weather hydrogen fuel cell powered cars are efficient and clean.

Hydrogen Fuel Car - Page four of Going green with hydrogen fuel cell powered cars provides you with some basic technical information to how this energy works, and also includes our conclusion to this article.