Alternate Fuel Cars- what's right for you?

The exploration of alternative fuel cars brings with it dreams of making better use of natural resources for the improvement of our local environment, and for our world in general. But choosing which type of vehicle to drive takes some consideration. Investigating the various alternative-fuel technologies is a good place to start.

Alternative fuel options include:

Hybrids- in this case, the alternative "fuel" is actually electricity. Hybrids combine the use of traditional internal combustion engines with electric batteries and electric motors to run the car in the most energy-efficient manner. There are several variations in the way the hybrid car will use the gas and electric features:

• Mild hybrids- use an electric battery and electric motor to assist the internal combustion engine.
• Full hybrids- make use of the two systems, electric and combustion, either separately or together.
• Plug-in hybrids- use the internal combustion engine only as a back-up to the electric motor and battery.

Since hybrid cars, trucks and/or SUV's are available through Chrysler, Dodge and Ford, many variations of hybrids are readily available.

Biodiesel- is made from new or used vegetable or animal fats. It can be mixed with petroleum diesel to cut down on emissions. There are millions of diesel engines already on the road that are ready to accept this domestically grown and produced fuel. When you see B5 or B20 on the gas pump, those fuels are either 5 percent or 20 percent biodiesel mixed with petrol. Neat biodiesel, or B100, contains no petroleum at all.

Interested in test-driving a biodiesel vehicle? Check out Audi, Dodge, Ford, Jeep, or VW.

Flexible- fuel vehicles (FFV's) - can run on gasoline, or E85, or a combination of both fuels. A combination of 85% ethanol and 15 % gasoline, E85 is the popular choice for FFV's. The mixture is often seasonably adjusted for cold weather and can be less than 85% ethanol at times. Because ethanol is very corrosive,
flex-fuel vehicles are made with synthetic or composite fuel system parts that can tolerate high levels of alcohol. Some car owners are already driving vehicles that are FFV's, but they may not know it. Over 6 million flexible-fuel vehicles have been sold in the US alone. Make sure to check your owner's manual so that fuel specifications are followed for your FFV.

Electric- also known as Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles or PHEV's, these cars have especially large electric batteries that not only recharge with on-board recharging capabilities but can also be plugged into a household outlet for recharge. Standard hybrids require a combination of regenerative braking and energy from the combustion engine to recharge the batteries and propel the vehicle, while a PHEV operates as an electric vehicle with a combustion engine backup.

Hydrogen- in its simplest form hydrogen is a by-product of combustion, water vapors; it has the potential for zero-emissions motoring. Clearly, there are some kinks to be addressed in order to harness this element, whether through the use of solar, wind or geothermal processes. But progress is being made through the use of hydrogen fuel cells and these types of vehicles are expected to become more prevalent in the years to come.

Natural Gas- compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG) can both be used to fuel vehicles. Consumers can order cars or light trucks directly from the manufacturer to operate on natural gas or be set up as a bi-fuel vehicle to operate on either natural gas or gasoline. Since natural gas is available where many people live, a filling station can be set up in your own garage.

Propane- also known as liquefied propane gas (LPG) propane offers fewer ozone emissions with a lower expense than gasoline. Many taxis, buses, and other fleets are using this alternative today. Over 10 million propane vehicles are currently in use. With thousands of filling stations across the US, the clean power of propane is gaining in popularity.

Unfortunately, you just cannot go to a dealer to purchase this type of vehicle. Retro-fit packages are available, however to convert your existing car so that it can use propane. The U.S. Department of Energy maintains a searchable database for propane makes and models back to 2001.

While alternative fuel vehicles have been slow to come to market, they are gaining in popularity and are here to stay. And like any other commodity, the bigger the demand for this technology, the bigger the supply will become. With tax breaks and other incentives it won't be long before every household owns their favorite alternative fuel vehicle.