Glady Reign asked:


With the alarming environmental concerns and the aim of preserving a greener tomorrow, automakers are triggered to build more environment-friendly automobiles. In fact, part of the fast-rising vehicles today is powered by alternative fuels. In a short span of time, these vehicles have swiftly stolen the limelight of the industry.



Alternative fuel, also known as non-conventional fuels, is any material or substance that can be used as a fuel, other than fossil fuels, or conventional fuels of petroleum, coal, propane, and natural gas. The term usually refers to a source of which energy is renewable. Its main function is to store energy in a form that is stable and can be easily transported from the place of production to the end user. Alternative fuels include biodiesel, butanol, ethanol, chemically stored electricity like batteries and fuel cells, hydrogen, methane, natural gas, biomass, wood, wood gas, vegetable oil, and peanut oil.



One of the vehicles using such alternative fuels is the Volvo Multi-Fuel. Said vehicle is optimized to run on five different fuels so there is a need to upgrade on Volvo performance parts. The Volvo Multi-Fuel, based on the Volvo V70, is powered by a 2.0-liter five-cylinder turbocharged engine that will run on hythane (10 per cent hydrogen and 90 per cent methane), biomethane, natural gas (CNG), bioethanol E85 (85 per cent bioethanol and 15 per cent gasoline) and gasoline.

Aside from the fact that it runs on 5 different engines, another notable facet of the Volvo Multi-Fuel is its relatively consistent performance not considering the fuel used. Volvo claims that the turbocharged engine of the vehicle is producing about 200 horsepower. It is sufficient to power up the wagon. The vehicle runs exceptionally clean. In fact, when pure renewable fuels such as hyrdrogen, biomethane or bioethanol are used, very little fossil carbon dioxide is emitted.

Hythane, E85 bioethanol and CNG biomethane are extra-clean fuels. This is main reason why the vehicle has surpassed all existing emissions regulations imposed in any market at the present time. Furthermore, it would also qualify for the upcoming EuroV emissions regulations. The mentioned fuels also have the advantage of being carbon neutral. It means that the amount of carbon emitted when the fuel is burned is equivalent to the amount acquired by the crops used to make the fuel.



When changing between fuels, the driver only has to choose between gaseous or liquid fuel and the engine management system will adjust to optimize performance for the fuel. The Multi-Fuel has separate fuel tanks for gaseous fuels that include hythane, biomethane and CNG; and liquid fuel like E85 and gasoline.

“The whole car is optimized for high performance, driving on any of the five different fuels,” said Mats Moren, project leader engine at Volvo Car Corporation. “It is a step towards a hydrogen-powered society. Perhaps we can develop the system even further, to run on a higher blend in the future.”

Volvo is known for its commitment to lead automotive milestones. As a fact, it has been associated with remarkable safety and ninety-degree bodywork. At this point in time, the automaker has already established a name that embodies style, quality, cutting-edge design – and superb green technology.

Aside from Volvo, renowned automakers like Daimler Chrysler are producing entry vehicles that use alternative fuels. The latest entry so far is the E320 CDI BlUETEC that runs on a biomass-to-liquid (BtL) fuel known as SunDiesel. Said fuel can be used as the lone fuel or as an additive. “We believe BtL fuels can make an important contribution to our energy supply,” explained Prof. Dr. Herbert Kohler, vice president of the Research Body and Powertrain and also chief environmental officer of DaimlerChrysler AG. “They can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, and with their good carbon dioxide audit they can also help make mobility more environmentally compatible.”

The Mercedes-Benz E200 NGT and the smart four two cng were also entered, both running on CNG. The E 200 NGT reduces CO2 emissions by over 20 per cent and with a power output of 163 horsepower from the 1.8-liter engine. It is the most powerful CNG passenger car currently in production. The driver can decide whether to use CNG or gasoline using buttons on the steering wheel, and an electronic control unit ensures a smooth transition from one power source to the other. Fuel consumption is 39 mpg with CNG and 26 mpg with premium unleaded.

Ford’s green vehicles include Focus C-MAX H2 ICE is powered by a prototype hydrogen internal combustion engine. The engine is a 2.3-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine that produces 110 horsepower. According to Ford the Focus C-MAX H2 ICE has a driving range of about 120 miles with the fuel capacity of 2.75 kg of hydrogen.

General Motors newest entry is Saab 9-5 BioPower, which runs on either bioethanol or gasoline. The BioPower is not only environment-friendly; it also but delivers more power and performance than the gasoline-only version. The vehicle can switch between bioethanol and gasoline without any adjustment by the driver.

The Q7 TDI, powered by 3.0-liter direct-injection with impressive fuel economy of 22 mpg, is Audi’s latest green SUV pride. For the recently held Challenge Bibendum, the Q7 TDI was fueled with Synfuel produced by Shell. It is manufactured from natural gas, biomass or coal to decrease the environmental impact by reducing exhaust emissions.



MELODY

Glady Reign asked:


Gasoline prices have fallen. Hence, automakers have to entertain alternative fuel vehicles to provide more options to consumers. This is especially true to automakers that are relying greatly on non-gasoline vehicles.

General Motors Corp. Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner said, “With the price of oil at its lowest level in 19 months, we run the risk of reverting back to our traditional energy policy. That is, relying heavily on the lowest-cost energy available on world markets, including imported oil, without providing adequate support for developing alternative sources.” He also added, “I hope oil prices stay low, but I also hope that our nation stays committed to energy security through energy diversity.” The statement of Wagoner came after the revelation of the University of Michigan study that focused on auto executives’ and other experts’ comments on gasoline prices and government fuel economy standards.

At the annual automotive event, an auto supplier executive called for imposing a steep tax on gasoline to help fund the transition to alternative energy sources, especially hydrogen. Alternative fuel, also called alternate fuel, is any substance or material that can be used as fuel other than fossil fuels and other conventional fuels. It also pertains to renewable source of energy.

The essence of alternative fuel is to store energy in a stable form that can be easily transported from the place of production to the end user. The latter is then able to consume the fuel at will. The demand for alternative fuels is triggered by ecological concerns. In 2000, about 8 million vehicles ran on this type of fuel.

Alternative fuels include biodiesel, ethanol, butanol, chemically stored electricity like batteries and fuel cells, hydrogen, methane, vegetable oil, biomass, natural gas, wood and peanut oil. Types of alternative fuels include gasoline type biofuels like butanol, E85 with 85 per cent ethanol and 15 per cent gasoline blend, P-series fuels and hydrogen internal combustion. To boost the performance of the engine, car systems are modified. Toyota parts and accessories are modified to complement the fuel used by the vehicles. Volvo tie rods and other car parts are also engineered to specifically entertain the new technology.

At the North American International Auto Show, GM is showing off a concept plug-in hybrid named the Volt. It can travel 40 miles on battery power alone. In its totality, Volt offers a bold and quality statement. Chevrolet wants to prove that beauty and efficiency combined in one car.

Detroit’s Big 3 have been urging the Bush administration to help their efforts in developing alternative fuels like biodiesel and E85, an ethanol-based fuel. The Big 3 also seek aid in the production of batteries to power vehicles. It can be recalled that the top executives of the Big 3 met with Bush in November last year to discuss alternative energy plans however; they got no promises from the president.

Meanwhile, the Bush administration sought authority to raise fuel economy requirements for passenger cars. This was opposed by the Big 3. “One of the things that government has to do to really promote energy diversity is proactively support the development of alternative fuel technology,” Wagoner said. “And incentivize consumers through tax credits, fuel subsidies and so on to adopt these exciting new technologies.”

According to a recent survey conducted by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, respondents predicted that fuel prices and fuel economy standards will rise substantially in coming years. It was also anticipated that gas prices will average slightly more than $4 a gallon by 2015 and just over $5 a gallon by 2020. Respondents are composed of automakers, suppliers and other experts.

The study also found that Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards for cars are expected to amplify to 33 mpg in 2015 and 38 mpg in 2020 which is a 38 per cent jump from today’s 27.5 mpg standard. For trucks, CAFE standards are predicted to rise to 27 mpg in 2015 and 31 mpg in 2020, a 44 per cent increase from 21.6 mpg today. “Our research reveals surprising agreement among all stakeholders in the automobile industry that fuel prices are on a steep upward trajectory,” said U-M researcher Bruce Belzowski.

“If we’re ever going to get there, we better start. That much I agree with,” said Don Altermatt, senior manager of diesel engineering for DaimlerChrysler AG regarding the proposal to boost alternative fuel sources. “Is there a need for a national energy policy? Absolutely,” added Nancy Gioia, director of sustainable mobility technologies and hybrid vehicle programs at Ford. “We have not got the kind of collaboration yet that we need.”



STANLEY

Kenneth Scott asked:


As responsible human beings it is our moral duty that we leave this world a better place than we got it from our ancestors. There is an ardent need for saving the environment that is being polluted by emissions given out by the extensive use of gasoline.

The conventional and traditional fuel sources are becoming more and more expensive to extract and their indiscriminate use in the past century has resulted in their depletion. Alarm bells have already started ringing that these storehouses of natural fuel sources will reach critically low levels and precipitate a crisis much earlier than we think.

However there are promising discoveries that give hope that before any crisis occurs, mankind would have perfected and commercialized alternate sources of fuel that will be eco- friendly and affordable too.

Bio-diesel is one such alternate fuel source that is extracted from plants. Also known as E 85, bio-diesel is partly renewable. Its contents of 15% gasoline and 85% ethanol mean that it is at least better than using pure gasoline.

Although such alternate fuel sources like E 85 score above gasoline, they still pollute and require a vast amount of corn to be grown which in turn translates into availability of lesser land for growing food for people.

Presently, electric cars seem to be the best alternate fuel source that we have, if we are to conserve our natural fuel sources. They are efficient because all of the electricity that they need can be generated at one central location. It is a much better option than consuming petroleum derivatives and polluting more by using small and inefficient combustion motors. Electricity can be produced in any manner that suits the needs on a particular location depending on the resources it has. One can use coal, hydro-electric or wind to produce this electricity that is required for electric cars.

The ultimate alternate fuel source, of course is your own legs on bike peddles. Peddle power is becoming increasingly popular as none of the other alternate fuel sources has completely panned out. Bio-diesel is not widely available and the power that the electric cars allow has not been perfected as yet. The bike is really a flawless machine for short to medium commutes. You will be in better shape, save some money, and do the environment a favor as well.

So, before switching on the ignition of the vehicle, ask yourself if it would not be easier to walk or ride.



ROMEO

Anthony Fontanelle asked:


In the auto industry, the month of April is being celebrated as the National Alternative Fuel Autos Month, and in observing that, automakers reported the number of alternative fuel vehicles in the state of California.

It is widely known that the mentioned state is one of the major frontrunners in the battle against global warming in the United States. The numbers of alternative fuel vehicles on California’s roads were reported to have increased in the year 2006 as compared to the number of alternative fuel vehicles back in 2005.

R.L Polk and Co. undertook the study to find out the number of alternative fuel vehicles on the state of California. The research firm reported that in 2006, the number of alternative fuel automobiles in the state reaches 837,743. That number includes different alternative fuel vehicle types which includes hybrid electric cars, E-85 fuel vehicles, and vehicles running on bio-diesel. The said number shows a 17 percent increase in the number of alternative fuel vehicles in the state compared to 2005 figures. R.L Polk and Co. also reported that California has the second most number of alternative fuel vehicles on its roads for the mentioned periods.

The research firm also reported that the combined sales of auto manufacturers of alternative fuel autos reached 1.5 million for the year of 2006. That number exceeds the expected sales figures set by automakers in the country by 50 percent. That marks the most number of alternative fuel vehicles sold in the United States in a year. That also brings the total number of alternative fuel automobiles in the country to 10.5 million through 2006.

And considering the increasing demand for such vehicles and the sales figures for companies producing those vehicles, it seems that that number would continually increase over the next few years.

Dave McCurdy, the president of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, has this to say about the current trend concerning the sale of alternative fuel vehicles: “I am pleased to see that the sales of Alternative Fuel Autos are rising. The auto industry is a dynamic high-tech sector and manufacturers are committed to selling vehicles that can run on something other than just gasoline. Consumers are taking notice.” He also added that: “Automakers believe that consumer awareness, fueling infrastructure and government incentives all work together to help put more Alternative Fuel Autos on the roads.”

The increased number of alternative fuel vehicles on the country’s roads is the direct effect of the wide range of alternative fuel vehicles being offered by car manufacturers. This year, there are 60 models of alternative fuel vehicles available in the U.S. auto market. In 2000, the number of models offered to the public is only 12. The number of gas-electric hybrid, bio-ethanol, and bio-diesel engined vehicles has shown an increased number and more are on the way with car manufacturers move to address the demand for such fuel efficient vehicles.

Aside from these technologies, car manufacturers are also developing newer technologies which allow conventional gasoline engines to consume less fuel. In the case of Nissan, they are pushing the use of the continuously variable transmission to reduce fuel consumption. Deactivation of one or more cylinders of a vehicle’s engine while cruising is also another technology and technique which is currently being used by car manufacturers to reduce fuel consumption of their vehicles.

Regenerative braking is also another technology used by auto makers and this technology is complemented well with efficient brake components such as those found at EBC active brakes direct.

Although there are a huge number of alternative fuel vehicles on the country’s roads, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done. A concrete example of this is the practicality of vehicles which can run on E85 fuel. The use of bio-ethanol reduces the amount of greenhouse gases and also reduces the dependency of the country on foreign oil.

The most pressing problem though is the availability of bio-ethanol refilling stations. This means that there are a lot of alternative fuel vehicles which still runs on gasoline instead of the more environment friendly bio-ethanol.



ROBIN

Gregg Hall asked:


There are many alternative fuels available on the market today. President Bush seems to be on a mission stating that Americans are “addicted” to oil.

Alternative fuel is quickly replacing gasoline, resulting in fewer pollution and cost efficiency. The U.S. Department of Energy is guiding the efforts due to a need to limit air pollution levels to protect human health and the environment. The following are a list of alternative fuels that are becoming more and more mainstream. Eventually, these fuels will replace our dependency on gasoline.

Ethanol is a fuel made from crop grain. It is a renewable fuel. Ethanol is used in 10 percent blends with gasoline to create gasohol. Ethanol is not considered an alternative fuel unless it is mixed at 85 percent with gasoline to create E-85. You will start to see E-85 being provided at all major gas stations in the very near future.

Another alternative fuel that is replacing gasoline is Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG). LPG consists mainly of propane, propylene, butane and butylenes in various mixtures. LPG is a byproduct of natural gas processing and petroleum refining. LPG can also be produced domestically; therefore, lessening our reliance on foreign companies to provide our fuel.

Methanol is an alcohol free fuel. A process using natural gas as a feedstock produces methanol. The alternative Methanol fuel is being used as M-85.

Biofuels are also beginning to enter the mainstream. Biofuels are chemicals made from cellulosic biomass such as herbaceous and woody pulp from agricultural and forestry residues. A majority of biofuels consists of municipal waste and industrial waste. Biofuels are also domestically grown, reducing our reliance on other countries to supply our fuels.

Finally, good old electricity is being tapped into to help power vehicles, known as hybrids. Batteries provide the electricity used to power these vehicles. The batteries are charged from electricity that is produced at a power plant. Power plants utilize fossil fuels to produce energy. There are no emissions from a hybrid, which is good for the environment.

We have listed several alternative fuels that are going to continue to replace gasoline on a massive level. These fuels are better for our health and for the health of the environment. They also will cut our reliance on foreign countries to provide us with our fuel. The end result will be lower costs at the pump.



MILDRED

Matthew Hick asked:


With soaring gas prices, and concerns about the effects fossil fuel use is having on the environment, researchers are scrambling to find alternative fuel options for America’s dependence on foreign oil. While others are being studied, there are currently several promising fuel options already in limited use across the nation:

Biodiesel:

One of cleanest, cheapest and easiest fuel options to implement, biodiesel, fuel can be made from vegetable and soy bean oils and animal fats, as well as recycled restaurant grease.

In its pure form (100%), biodiesel is a clean-burning fuel that emits very little air pollutants, and would help reduce dangerously high levels of hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and sulfates in the air, by limiting the use of traditional petroleum products.

Switching the average consumer to biodiesel fuel may be one of the easiest and cheapest transfers among all the alternative fuel sources available. Most cars and trucks built since 1994 are designed to already accept biodiesel fuel with little or no modifications. No new or special pumps are needed to make it available to the public, and according to a recent study by the United States Department of Energy, current U.S. stockpiles of soybean and other usable foodstuffs are currently available to produce nearly 2 billion gallons of biodiesel. That’s just 5% of America’s annual fuel usage.

Ethanol:

Once considered the alternative fuel of choice, ethanol has taken a back burner to other options in recent years as critics contend that it takes more energy to make it than Americans will save using it. Still, research continues to find ways to make this fuel option easier to make. Ethanol is a clear, colorless fuel that is made by distilling ground corn, and other high-sugar plants (such as sugar beets, grasses and even some fast-growing trees), into grain alcohol using a wet-milling process.

Electricity:

A completely clean fuel, interest in using electricity to fuel cars is rising. While storage capacity is small in most current models, limiting the amount of miles an electric car can drive before needing to recharge, solar and wind power may be a “recharging” option in the future, making the electric car more accessible and usable for the average driver.

Hydrogen:

Hydrogen is used to grow fuel cells that can be converted into electricity for cars. Although Hydrogen emissions are low, critics contend that since it is made from burning fossil fuels such as coal, gas and nuclear energy, it isn’t a viable large-scale alternative for lowering the country’s gas consumption.

Methanol:

Also known as wood alcohol, methanol can be used in an 85% (methanol) - 15% (gasoline), mix in flexible fuel vehicles. Blended with gasoline to enhance the octane and provide a cleaner fuel, methanol is produced by reforming natural gas to create a synthetic gas fed into a reactor to produce methane and water vapor. While the technology showed promise at first, most car manufacturers eventually stopped producing flexible fuel vehicles when concerns rose over contaminated ground water produced during the methanol production process.

While alternatives due exist for our country’s reliance on fuel, more research is needed to find the best source to replacing our dependence on fossil fuels.



SIMON

Don Willson asked:


A lot of things have changed since I was a youngster. I remember the day when I worked on the corner gas station pumping gas, cleaning windows and checking oil, the last two of which you find very few stations doing anymore. The whole idea of “full-service” is pretty much a thing of the past, however this is a subject for a different article. During those days I had the part-time job at the gas station, the ozone layer was something that astronomers and astronauts worried about and not something that he had to worry about breaking down thereby burning a hole in this beloved planet we live on.

The cost of gas was $.16 a gallon - yes you heard me - $.16 a GALLON! We drove cars that got on a good day 18 miles per gallon and it didn’t break the bank or increase the interest rate on your credit card just to fill up the tank. We would ask mom and dad for a five spot to go cruising up and down the main drag, not the credit card charge of $30 or more that it takes now. It’s no wonder that the old folks (like myself) who are now the parents of children cruisin’ the drag came up with the idea of alternative fuels to try and save ourselves a few bucks at the pump as well as save the planet that we so dearly love and yet manage to almost destroyed the last 30 years or so.

One solution to this has been to make engines smaller, cars smaller and sometimes I even wonder if they’ve made people smaller - because I sure can’t fit in these boxes. I actually saw a car that couldn’t have been more than a lawnmower engine with wheels, which were no larger than the ones I used to make my go carts out of when I was (once again) a kid! The car itself was boxy and it did sound a lot like a lawnmower going down the street but hey - I am sure it got great gas mileage!

Another solution is to change the gasoline we run our cars on. What does this mean? Well, we remove the lead, an anti-knock agent which was needed in the old days because we didn’t have super computers tuning our cars for us as we drive. We eliminated High octane fuel which to tell the truth pretty much killed a lot of the old muscle cars (Ahh.. the sound of a big V8 in the morning!). and then, we added ethanol (grain alcohol) to the gas to try to thin it out and help it run cleaner. A step in the right direction but personally, I always like my grain alcohol with a twist and just a plash of gin!

The other solution we have come up with alternative fuels. So far these consist of been added it to the fuels we’ve reduced or eliminated lead in the fuel which was an anti-knock agent but it did so pollute our atmosphere in which since replaced it with grain alcohol (funny I used to look at that as a kid to drink not to run my car on). The grain alcohol is supposed to reduce emissions while at the same time converting some of the emissions to water vapor that goes into the doesn’t do any good but it doesn’t do as much harm. But this is not the solution.

They did have come out with hybrid cars now which run on electricity the last word a combination of gasoline and electricity switching back and forth between the two is the load on the engine dictates. You have to admit this is a pretty smart idea however and makes for a maintenance nightmare because of the weight of the batteries carried in the car cancel out any real advantage of having a hybrid car in the first place. Don’t get me wrong, it does some good just not enough to make a difference.

You also have the companies and entrepreneurs that are working on pure electric cars. Unfortunately these haven’t made a big impact on the road right now because it requires so many batteries at the car is incredibly heavy and the batteries and the batteries don’t have a long life in the car so they have to be replaced sooner than any engine overhaul would take place. This is a very expensive ordeal as well as you have to find a specialty shop to that would be able to do it for you. They do have one battery that does show some promise -it’s called the “sulfur battery”. The only problem with this battery is it needs a key element in it out in the field to keep sulfur in its liquid state about 300 plus degrees. Not a good thing to have rumbling around in your trunk! Let’s face it batteries just have not made it to a level or place where they can take to the road as well as a gasoline engine.

One of the more exciting things that I’ve seen is called the hydrogen fuel-cell. This unique little device takes water and converts it to electricity by using special layers of chemicals and minerals to separate the hydrogen in the action from each other and causing his chemical reaction that generates electricity between the plates and thereby supplying electricity to whatever needs to be run-in this case the motor in the car. This is probably one of the more exciting developments as come along however it doesn’t create a lot of electricity only creating a few milliamps or a few apps here and there were ads running car can take hundreds of amps, especially during hard acceleration. So until they develop this little bit further its out as well.

Honestly I believe that at this point in time since we don’t have anything else to run our cars are than gasoline, I believe the hybrid engine is the way to go. But electricity doesn’t really seem the way to go to me and additives to the fuel make it inefficient or simply don’t exist at this time. There has been one promising area that I believe should be pursued…

The idea of hydrogen being injected into an engine is a good idea-they actually came up with this some time ago running an engine completely on hydrogen. Do have to admit it was pretty much a rolling firetrap if it ever got into an accident the hydrogen itself is very explosive in very small quantities so great care has to be taken in its care and handling.

Now comes the idea I read about. What if one were able to use water as a fuel? It’s plentiful it’s everywhere and it’s a renewable resource. “How is a renewable” you ask? Well it’s car word to runoff water were some component thereof it’s only product coming out of the exhaust pipe would be any guess? Water! The water goes up in the air, and comes down as rain. It’s renewed! It’s a wonderful idea and a few people are working on exactly that idea. Personally, I’m hoping some big corporation picks up on the idea and runs with it. It would be the best possible thing for a planet and face it possible thing for us as a race!



HOWARD

RyanThomas asked:


Car buyers are now opting for fuel efficient vehicles offered by different car manufacturers. This is what the Auto Alliance announced as a way to start the celebration of the National Alternative Fuel Autos Week.

The group of car makers reported that there are now 10.5 million alternative fuel vehicles on U.S. roads according to 2006 sales data from R.L Polk and Co. The data also shows that last year alone, more than 1.5 million alternative fuel vehicles were sold. The figure surpasses the expectation of the auto industry by as much as 50 percent.

Today, car makers based in the U.S. or abroad are offering 60 models of alternative fuel vehicles. These include hybrid electric vehicles, flex-fuel vehicles which can run on a combination of gasoline and bio-ethanol, and diesel engine equipped vehicles which gets its juice from biodiesel.

Dave McCurdy, the President of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, has this to say during the announcement: “There are 10.5 million Alternative Fuel Autos on the roads and highways of every state across the country. We are happy to see that consumers are, in fact, discovering the alternatives that are available to them on dealership lots nationwide. We believe that the numbers of Alternative Fuel Autos on the roads continues to rise because consumers can choose from a variety of autos that reduce fuel use while still providing the utility, safety, performance and comfort they seek.”

While there are a lot of alternative fuel vehicle out in the market, car manufacturers are still looking for ways to develop more technology which will be employed by their vehicles to make them more fuel efficient. Alternative fuel vehicles are not the only vehicle to be produced with concern for the environment in mind though.

Conventional vehicles are also equipped with features that make them more fuel efficient and more eco-friendly. These features include fuel injectors, variable valve timing, continuously variable transmission (CVT), and exhaust filtration devices like the Nissan catalytic converter. These features allow even conventional vehicles to consume less fuel but still perform at the highest possible level.

In order to offer more fuel efficient vehicles, members of the Alliance have created partnerships with the alternative fuel industry to make alternative fuel more available to consumers. As of today, members of the Alliance have created over 25 partnerships with other industries to facilitate the development of newer alternative fuel technology.

The aim of the group is emphasized on McCurdy’s statement. “Having exceeded our sales expectations in 2006, we hope that 2007 will be another banner year for sales of Alternative Fuel Autos. This year marks the first-ever National Alternative Fuel Autos Week and automakers hope to draw more attention to the availability of these autos currently for sale.”



ROCHELLE

Hilal Abdelwali asked:


There is a growing trend toward pushing people to use new alternative fuels to power their vehicles. Alternative fuel burns cleaner, is better for the environment, and, in many cases, can be cheaper than gasoline. But not just any car will run on alternative fuels. The engine must be constructed in a different way to adapt to the new substance that it will be running on.

Almost all major car companies have jumped right on to the alternative fuel bandwagon by manufacturing a variety of vehicles designed especially to run on alternative fuel. They are called, of course, alternative fuel vehicles or AFVs for short. Some vehicles are strictly designed and built to run on nothing but alternative fuel while others can run on either gasoline or alternative fuel making them a hybrid car.

As of 2006, here is a list of some of the alternative fuel or GREEN vehicles manufactured by some of the major car companies:

Honda Insight

Honda Accord Hybrid

Dodge Ram Pickup 1500 Series

Dodge Stratus Sedan

Dodge Durango SUV

Dodge Caravan Minivan

Ford Taurus

Ford F-150 Pickup

Ford Escape SUV

GM Impala

Chevrolet Silverado 4 x 2

Chevrolet Tahoe SUV

Chevy Yukon SUV

Nissan Titan Pickup

Toyota Highlander SUV

Toyota Prius

And these are truly just a few of the alternative fuel vehicles that are on the market. There are more and more being designed and manufactured every day. Big car companies know that the wave of the future is going to be towards environmental friendliness when it comes to a personals vehicle. That is why their manufacturing of so many alternative fuel or hybrid vehicles is a huge part of their business plans these days.

Now, you should know that even though it is a good idea to buy an alternative fuel vehicle these days, you will have to pay more money to do so. Alternative fuel vehicles run anywhere from 3,000 to 10,000 USD more than a regular gasoline car. That is why many states offer great incentives for those people who own alternative fuel vehicles.

For example, California, Florida, and Texas have allowed alternative fuel vehicles exemptions when it comes to commuting. These places have commuting or high occupancy lanes that allow cars with a certain number of people in them to use them. If you have an AFV, you can be in this lane even if you are by yourself.

The Federal Government also offers a tax break to those people who have purchased an alternative fuel vehicle in the year 2006. For some, that is an amazing tax advantage and well worth the investment in buying an alternative fuel vehicle.



MARION

r0ckergirl14 asked:


A smart car investment can be a much better deal in the long run. Consumers are now looking at alternative fuels and hybrid vehicles in order to save money, and at the same time save the environment.

Let’s look at the different kinds of hybrid electric vehicles, or HEVs, and their advantages.

HEVs, apart from having a positive environmental impact, can also reduce gas costs. A regular vehicle mostly uses gas, in comparison to a regular HEV which uses mainly gas but also uses electricity.

There is also another kind of hybrid, the plug-in, which has residual use of gas and but mainly uses electricity.

And finally, there is the all-electric vehicle, which only uses electricity as a power source.

Another hybrid innovation that one might want to consider buying or leasing is the flexible-fuel vehicle (FFV) or flex-fuel. Several models from different manufacturers in the US have already developed and applied this type of engine, where different sources of fuel can be used.

Biodiesel, an alternative fuel, can also be used in diesel engines. It is a renewable fuel that can be made at home and produced domestically, practically eliminating the factor of importing gas, whose price is getting steeper and steeper nowadays.

Ethanol is another alternative fuel that promotes environment-friendly benefits. It comes from different agricultural feedstocks, such as corn and switchgrass. However, since it is essentially more expensive than gasoline depending on your location, and is only available in the Midwest for now, it is not highly recommended yet.

Other examples of alternative fuel are gasohol (gasoline mixed with bioethanol), hydrogen (though this is still being debated upon), and natural gas fuel (mostly methane mixed with other natural gasses).



SAMANTHA