All There is To Know About Alternative Vehicle Choices (part 2)

Our emphasis here at eCycleGroup is to share different perspectives on all kinds of sustainable and  eco-friendly subjects; this is the second of two stories intended to identify some pros and cons of the alternative engine choices available now and promised to come to market in the future. (Click here to read part one,  which focused on emerging automotive technologies, such as hydrogen, electric, and hybrid electric/gasoline powerplants.) Part two focuses on the variety of alternative fuels currently in production. You can find a list of that operate on these fuels by searchng at fueleconomy.gov

Diesel
Diesel is produced as a byproduct of the distillation procedure that produces gasoline. Both gasoline and diesel are produced from the same crude oil. As part of the production process, crude oil is heated, releasing different hydrocarbon compounds at different boiling temperatures. The lightest components — such as ethane and propane — evaporate first. The next components, called naphtha, are used for making gasoline. Finally, the heaviest portion of crude oil is used to make diesel fuel.

Diesel engines are known for their high strength and durability, and today’s modern diesels are typically much cleaner and more fuel efficient than their predecessors. Thanks to today’s high-tech direct injection diesel engines, the days of smelly, sooty diesel discharge are long gone.

Some diesel engines have been modified to burn biodiesel,  which is a domestically produced, renewable fuel derived from natural oils like soybean oil. Biodiesel is produced without petroleum, though it can be blended  with petroleum diesel to create a biodiesel blend. Biodiesel blends of up to 20 percent can be used in any diesel engine without requiring any modifications to the engine or the fuel system. Some specially prepped vehicles are even able to use post-consumer oil products recycled from restaurants — like old french fry cooking oil! You can find out much more at www.biodiesel.org

E85 and Flex Fuels:
Renewable biofuels such as E85 ethanol and biodiesel have tremendous potential to help offset the world’s growing energy demands. FlexFuel E85 ethanol vehicles can run on either gasoline or E85 ethanol – a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline – or any combination of both.

In addition to helping us reduce petroleum use and promote energy independence, E85 ethanol fuel produces fewer greenhouse gases during the combustion process and can enhance engine performance. It is a cleaner fuel made today from mostly U.S.-grown biomaterial, such as corn. But researchers are working on broadening the supply of ethanol by turning other non-food plant materials such as lumber mill waste, switchgrass, lawn clippings, and even garbage into what’s called cellulosic ethanol. Unlike corn-based ethanol, the cellulose in the products used to make cellulosic ethanol must be pre-treated and then broken down into sugars before they can be fermented, a step called cellulosis. The technology required to do this is currently under development by the manufacturers themselves, as well as the fuel companies.

A broad assortment of flexible-fuel cars, SUVs, and trucks are offered by Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Mercury, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Toyota, Saturn, and Volvo, but access to ethanol-based fuels is limited to specific regions in the midwest of the United States.

Compressed Natural Gas
Emissions-minded shoppers can also opt for an ultra-clean-burning natural gas 2008 Honda Civic sedan. Right now, this is the only option available directly from a manufacturer, though some companies may offer aftermarket engine conversions that can be fitted to other vehicles.

Even though most people think they must choose a hybrid vehicle to be truly eco friendly, consider some of the other options contained in this article. Depending on your driving style and budget, you might find you can make an equal contribution to the environment simply by choosing a more fuel efficient or more emissions-friendly vehicle.

Hydrogen
In hydrogen fuel cell (FCV) vehicles, an electric motor powers the wheels. A chemical reaction – usually between hydrogen and oxygen – inside the vehicle’s fuel cell stack creates electricity for the motor. The only tailpipe emission is water vapor, which produces zero carbon emissions and has the potential to significantly reduce air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and protect against climate change. Hydrogen fuel is expected to be priced at approximately double the current cost of premium fuel, since it delivers about twice the range of the equivalent amount of gasoline.

General Motors has recently been testing a hydrogen-powered version of its Chevrolet Eauinox, though other car manufacturers have produced FCVs such as the Honda Clarity, BMW Hydrogen 7-Series, and Volkswagen HyMotion Tiguan.

Additional Fuel-Efficient, Low-Emission Engine Technologies:
Did you know you can make a difference just by choosing a fuel-efficient or low-emission engine? Direct-injected, turbocharged gasoline engines such as that offered by Ford’s EcoBoost in the United States (and other manufacturers in Europe) carefully time delivery of precise doses of gasoline directly into the cylinder to encourage a more fuel-efficient combustion process with reduced emissions. Turbocharging utilizes additional energy from the exhaust to deliver additional boost to the fuel combustion process. These two technologies combine to offer up to 20 percent improvement in fuel economy, up to 15 percent reduction in C02 emissions, and an increase in performance that makes a V-6 engine feel like a V-8, or a four-cylinder feel like a six.

Slightly more expensive than traditional engines, but slightly less costly than the hybrid gasoline-electric powerplants currently available, this technology has proven effective in Europe and is emerging in the United States. It promises to be an efficient, eco-friendly option that doesn’t require an entirely new fuel delivery/charging system.

If reducing tailpipe emissions is your main concern, consider a zero- or near-zero emissions vehicle. The cleanest in this group are defined as Partial-Zero-Emissions Vehicles. PZEVs are 90% cleaner than the average new model year car, have zero evaporative emissions, and offer a 15-year / 150,000-mile warranty on its emission control components. “No evaporative emissions” means that they have fewer emissions while being driven than a typical gasoline car has while just sitting idle.

Many PZEV choices are available in model year 2008, such as the BMW 328i; Buick LaCrosse and Lucerne; Chevy Cobalt and Impala; Chrysler Sebring; Dodge Avenger; Ford Focus, Fusion, Taurus, and Taurus X; Honda Accord; Hyundai Elantra; Kia Spectra; Mazda 3 and 6; Mercedes-Benz C350 and E350; Mercury Milan and Sable; Mitsubishi Galant, Outlander and Lancer; Nissan Altima; Pontiac G5 and Grand Prix; Subaru Forester, Legacy, and Outback; Toyota Camry; Volkswagen Jetta, Rabbit, and New Beetle; or Volvo S40 and V50.

Many manufacturers also offer Ultra-Low Emissions (ULEV = 50% cleaner than the average new model year car) choices in their lineup, so be sure to ask your salesperson what ULEV and PZEV vehicles they have on the lot.

I hope these two articles have helped you become more informed about the variety of ecofriendly vehicles available on the market now, and being developed for future use!

Tags: Alternate Fuels/Energies, Biodiesel, Biofuels, Diesel, Eco-friendly, Electric, Hydrogen, Natural Gas