Currently, the fuel used in most cars and trucks, gasoline and diesel, is based on oil (petroleum). Since the oil from which gas and diesel are refined comes mainly from non-Western countries, unfortunately that means that the US, Europe and many other countries are vulnerable to forces beyond their control – forces that currently include war in Iraq, internal conflicts in Nigeria and the latest political confrontation in Venezuela.

Oil is also a major pollutant, which means that vehicles that burn petroleum products contribute to global warming. Also, oil is what is called a non-renewable energy source. Once these fossil fuels have been used, they cannot be replaced, so one day we will run out of oil.

All of this obviously means that finding alternative fuels, particularly those that are more “environmentally friendly”, and developing alternative fuel vehicles is best for everyone.

Currently, the most common alternative fuels for vehicles are ethanol, biodiesel and electric. In fact, you might even be driving a type of flex-fuel vehicle and not even know it. There are even hydrogen cars, but they currently cost millions of dollars, so they are out of reach of most people’s pockets. Steam and solar powered cars are also being developed.

Hybrid cars, like the Toyota Prius, run on a combination of gas and electric power. They use gas engines in combination with electric motors, a combination that results in dramatically improved fuel consumption and a significant reduction in CO2 emissions. They are particularly useful for city driving, where you can often drive solely on generated electrical power and use no gas at all. However, they are noticeably more expensive than non-hybrids.

Biodiesel is another common alternative fuel. Diesel fuel burns much more efficiently than gasoline, which leads to better gas mileage. However, diesel is still a petroleum-based fuel. Biodiesel, on the other hand, is made from vegetable oils, not petroleum oil. And, because it is made from plants, and plants use carbon dioxide for photosynthesis, biodiesel reduces net carbon emissions by up to 60%. Most diesel vehicles, including buses, agricultural vehicles, and cars, can also run on biodiesel.

Ethanol is probably the most widely used alternative fuel today. Ethanol, as a biofuel, can be made from a wide variety of common natural materials, such as corn, sugar cane, and switchgrass. Most of today’s cars can run on a combination of gasoline and up to 10% ethanol (a combination called E10) without special equipment. A real downside to biofuels is the environmental costs of growing and refining the material used. However, research on the use of algae to produce ethanol is promising.

Alternative fuel vehicles allow us to reduce dependence on foreign oil and reduce pollutants even with the downsides. Is An Alternative Fuel Car Right For You? That is the question we must ask ourselves.

Beware,

Steve Longoria