Alternative fuels
|
Alternative fuel sources are used as a way of reducing the operating cost of vehicles, reducing pollution from vehicle emissions, or both.
|
| Fuel cells |
Recent improvements in technology have seen a number of manufacturers develop fuel cell technology for use in automobiles.
|
Ethanol and methanol
|
As responsible professionals working in the automotive service industry, we owe it to ourselves and our customers to be informed about ethanol, methanol, and the unique vehicles which burn these alcohol fuels.
|
Natural gas
|
If you’re a technician and haven’t yet seen a natural gas powered vehicle (or NGV), you soon will...
|
Propane
|
Farmers and construction outfits have used propane trucks, tractors, and other equipment since the ’20s and ’30s, and many automotive techs are somewhat familiar with propane.
|
Fuel cell vehicles
|
The fuel cell “engine” runs on pure hydrogen, perhaps the most abundant element on earth, and oxygen. What’s more, hydrogen has “three times the energy content per pound as either gasoline or diesel fuel”, and has “71% less greenhouse gas emissions per unity energy over the whole fuel cycle relative to gasoline.
|
Hydrogen
|
For vehicle use, hydrogen could be similarly produced and shipped using pipelines, railcars and trucks for storage in high-pressure tanks at refueling sites.
|
The Race to Hydrogen – Who’s Winning?
|
Electricity, the cleanest alternative, is obviously used in both gasoline-electric hybrids and fuel cell vehicles and is used for electrolyzing water into hydrogen.
|
Electric motors
|
Vehicles that include electric drive motors have many advantages over the traditional vehicle. Lower noise and gas emissions are among the major benefits.
|
Biodiesel
|
A biodegradable and non-toxic diesel-equivalent, processed fuel derived from biological sources, it has significantly fewer emissions than petroleum-based diesel when burned.
|
