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We no longer have to depend on gasoline to make our cars go. Even though these fuels are cheaper, they are not readily available to the public. Plus, you have to have a car that runs on alternative fuels. The automobile industry is creating more vehicles that can run alternative fuels, but the cars do not come cheap. Alternative fuels provide three distinct advantages over conventional fuels:
What alternative fuels are available? Here is a list of fuels that are an alternative to gasoline. |
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| LPG |  |
| LPG stands for Liquefied Petroleum Gas. It’s a mixture of light hydrocarbons, which are gases. LP Gas occurs naturally in crude oil and natural gas production fields and is also produced in the oil refining process. It can be easily liquefied for storage and transportation by an increase in pressure or by a reduction in temperature. Therefore it can be moved around like a liquid, but burned like a gas. Its a lot cleaner burning than petrol too, because it lacks many of the toxic chemicals found in petrol. There are LPG cars commercially available to the public and you can also get your current car converted to take LPG if it is not too old. | |
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LNG |
| Liquefied Natural Gas is called LNG. It has a higher energy density than any other fuel available today. LNG also has a higher octane rating, which allows vehicles to run more efficiently. Natural Gas is not a new intervention, but has been around for over 100 years. LNG is a likely fuel for cars in the near future. | |
| Hydrogen |  |
| Hydrogen is one of the most promising of all the alternative fuels to be the power source of tomorrow for cars. It is easily produced through electrolysis, simply splitting water (H20) into oxygen and hydrogen by using electricity. Most hydrogen is made from natural gas, though. When it's burned, it turns into heat and water vapour, making it the cleanest burning of all the fuels on this page. It is still in the experimental stage, but various German cars companies and some American ones are working on it's development. | |
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Electricity |
| Electric cars are usually powered by batteries that are recharged nightly. Some, which are called hybrids, contain a fuel=cell that uses another form of energy (usually petrol) and converts it into electric power. Electric powered cars are becoming the most popular alternative-fuel vehicles. They are also one of the easiest to find. One thing about them which some people don't realize, is that although they are zero-emission cars, they do relay on power from power-plants. Fossil-fuel powered plants produce much population | |
| Alcohol |  |
| Methanol and ethanol are alcohols. Ethanol is usually made from corn or biomass (agricultural biological waste). Methanol can be made from various biomass like wood or from coal. However, today most methanol is made from natural gas, because it is cheaper. Alcohol fuels contain more power, but less energy, in a gallon than petrol. That means that it'll make you're car go faster, but you'll get less MPG. | |
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Fuel Cells |
| Fuel-cells are batteries that are use fuel sources such as petrol, methanol, hydrogen, or natural gases for power. They convert the energy from that fuel source into electricity that powers the car. About every car manufacturer is working on developing fuel-cell cars at this time. The Honda Insight is a fuel-cell car that is available on the market. It gets around 70 miles per gallon. There is emission, but much less than regular cars. | |
| Hybrid Cars |  |
| Hybrids are cars that use two fuel sources for energy. Most that are available now are use petrol-electric power. They gets more MPG and produce less pollution than regular cars. Hybrid cars are probably the best thing to buy, so you aren't stuck if one fuel source runs out. | |
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Solar Power |
| Solar power? No emission or toxic gases, no fuel to buy, just a car covered in solar cells. There's a few problems with it though...no sun, no power. It really wouldn't be the best choice of a car for Britain. Some solar-powered cars store energy in a battery cell so you can drive when the sun isn't out. But if the sun doesn't come out for a few days, you're stuck at home. | |
| Bio-Diesel |  |
| Bio-diesel is a lot like normal diesel fuel, but it's made from plant and animal waste or fat. It's not necessarily a clean burning fuel, but it is made from a renewable resource. In Australia, it's becoming a popular alternative to petrol, but it really hasn't caught on in America yet. Bio-diesel can be used in diesel engine cars, but not normal petrol engine cars. | |