Carlo Hernandez asked:


If you are concerned about your carbon footprint and are looking for a way to go eco friendly, one of the things that you may want to consider is an alternative fuel car.  Whether you are planning on buying a hybrid car or convert your old one, alternative energy can help you to be more eco friendly and cut down on the cost of fuel.  Here is a look at just five of the benefits that going green can provide you.

Cost

Buying a car is a huge investment, but switching to clean fuel doesn’t have to be.  When speaking long term, choosing a hybrid that uses clean fuel can cut your fuel prices in half, saving you plenty of money each year.  And while a car is a major purchase, many hybrids are available for a similar price or even less than their gasoline or diesel powered counterparts.

Another aspect to consider, is buying a converter kit for you current car.  These kits are much less expensive than investing in a new car yet will still help you to reduce your carbon footprint and save money on fuel.

As with any purchase, the amount you save going eco friendly will be determined by how much you drive, how much the car costs over the time used, type of car (hybrid or not), as well as other factors.

Tax break

While a tax break alone may not be enough to switch to an eco friendly vehicle, it can be an added bonus.  When you buy a new, qualifying hybrid you will get a federal tax break that can make the vehicle even more affordable.  However, this benefit is limited to the first 60,000 hybrids of each model, so you will need to buy one soon.  You may find that you will qualify for other tax benefits on a state level.  Your tax professional will be able to tell you what benefits you would qualify for.

Insurance breaks

Another reason to switch to a clean fuel car is that you may get a break on your insurance.  Some insurance companies feel that the owners of green cars are overall more responsible drivers and provide green discounts, so therefore you may be able to qualify for some insurance discounts.

Carpool lane

If you have a long commute, then you may know the advantages of using the carpool lane.  Not only is there usually less traffic in these lanes, saving you time, but it also makes it easier for you to drive at a constant speed, helping you with fuel efficiency.  Because hybrid cars are so eco friendly, some states are allowing hybrid drivers to use the carpool lane regardless of how many passengers they have in the vehicle at the time.

Environmental impact

If you are concerned about the environment and your carbon footprint, then buying a hybrid car for the environmental advantages alone can be a huge benefit.  Hybrid cars produce fewer harmful emissions so they allow you to cut back on air pollution.  And since they use less fuel and/or an alternative energy source they can help to cut back on environmental destruction caused by oil drilling.  And if you convert your current car to a hybrid, you can help keep an old car out of the landfill for longer. Car conversion not only saves you money, it will greatly extend the length of time that you can enjoy your current vehicle while simultaneously saving the environment.



Kansieo.com

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

Steven Magill asked:


is the price of gas rising ever higher each day, but we must also take into consideration the pollution that cars emit and the damage it does to the environment. Those that want to live a greener lifestyle can do so by first finding alternative fuel cars that will be kinder to the global environment and their pockets as well.

The New Science of Alternative Fuel Cars

Alternative fuel cars are being tested at present to ease the dependence on petroleum. An alternative fuel vehicle can be one that produces less pollution or it can focus on sustainable energy sources. This lessens our need to import fuel from the unstable region of the Middle East and also addresses global warming issues that are at the forefront of many governments at this time.

An added bonus in looking into alternative fuel cars in the United States is the Federal tax incentives the government is offering to those citizens that purchase alternative fuel vehicles that qualify according to their standards.

What are Alternative Fuels?

One alternative fuel you may be hearing much about in the news is ethanol. Ethanol is being produced in the U.S. and it comes from crops such as corn. It is said to produce less emission and greenhouse gases than the conventional fuel sources we now use. There is much debate over the use of ethanol as it takes energy in order to produce it and the facts are still up in the air about whether it is truly worth the cost and effort to produce.

Biodiesel is another popular alternative fuel source. It comes from animal fat and vegetable oil. It is said to produce less pollution than conventional diesel fuel that is based on petroleum. Willy Nelson, the famous crooner of country ballads is a huge advocate of using biodiesel for alternative fuel cars.

Natural gas is said to generate less pollution into the air as well as a smaller amount of greenhouse gases. There are not many alternative fuel cars that run on natural gas at present but with the leaps and bounds in science, it is only a matter of time before this may be a viable fossil fuel alternative to petroleum.

Hydrogen is a versatile source for alternative fuel cars. It can be produced from a number of fossil fuel sources such as nuclear power, coal and other sources of renewable energies. Hydropower fuel cell cars are powered by hydrogen and do not let off any harmful pollutants into the air.

What You Can Do

The average consumer can find alternative fuel cars in a variety of ways. Doing the proper research on the best alternative fuel cars for the money they have to spend is one of the best ways to lessen our dependence on foreign oil and to make positive changes that will address global warming and climate change. It takes a village to raise a child the old saying goes, but it also takes that same village to make changes in the way we handle our fuel needs.



DESIREE