A quick Guide on Alternative Fuels
by Audra Fordin
We have all become "green consious", taking more care of our enviornment. When it comes to the car your driving,
Is green the way to go? That's a great question! To make the right choice, you need to know what the options are...
People have been asking me about alternative fuels, especially ones that could help cars be a little “greener.” What are these alternative fuels? Well, they’re any fuel other than gasoline or diesel fuel. Many are renewable and can be made here in the U.S., but they’re still produced on a pretty small scale.
If you think about fuel as “food” for your car, alternative fuels are like organically-grown foods—they may be healthier, but they’re also more expensive and may require some changes in your eating and spending habits. So if you’re thinking about buying a car that runs on something other than gas, here’s a quick overview of what you auto know:
Biodiesel fuels, most often made from the oil taken from plants, like peanuts or soybeans, can be burned in a diesel engine without any modification to the engine. They’re non-toxic and biodegradable, not widely available yet.
Ethanol, a form of alcohol usually made from corn or sugar cane, can be used in gasoline engines with little or no modification of the engine. In many states ethanol is already blended with gasoline to make what’s known as “gasohol”—(I love that word) a mixture of about 10-percent ethanol and 90-percent gasoline. A lot of car manufacturers are also making “flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs), which run on E85, 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.
Electric cars, which run on electrical power stored in batteries, produce no emissions. But unless you want a car that’s like a golf-cart, the only pure electric car for sale is the Tesla Roadster. And—yikes!—prices start at over $100,000. A much more practical choice is a
Hybrid gas-electric car, and there a bunch of choices here, like the Toyota Prius and Ford Fusion.
Natural Gas is found in many homes for cooking, heating-and-cooling systems, but it can also be used as a very clean fuel for cars and trucks. So far, natural-gas vehicles are mostly part of commercial fleets (taxis and municipal buses) that have their own on-site pumps. Right now, the only natural-gas car widely available to the public is the Honda Civic GX. But who know? With all the huge reserves of natural gas being discovered in the U.S., this may be the next fuel to watch.
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.... Mechanically yours,
Audra
164-16 Sanford Avenue
Flushing NY, 11358
718-762-6212 (shop)
Flushing NY, 11358
718-762-6212 (shop)
Blog http://greatbear.posterous.com/
Streaming Live, on the internet Radio "the auto lab" Saturday mornings 8:05am-9am 570 AM
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Streaming Live, on the internet Radio "the auto lab" Saturday mornings 8:05am-9am 570 AM
facebook great bear auto and body twitter greatbearauto
