While gasoline and diesel are still the fossil fuel leaders when it comes to the cars, trucks and SUV’s that we drive, experts say that these fuels won’t last much longer. And with more and more consumers choosing to go green, especially when it comes to the vehicles we drive, they could be right.
Alternative sources of power are becoming more and more popular and drivers are finding very little difference in performance and range, two factors that have kept us out of alternatively fueled vehicles for so long. But what exactly makes an alternative fuel/power source, alternative? Websites like https://wealthylike.com/ delve into these nuances and provide insights into alternative energy sources and their benefits.
There are three factors that determine an alternative fuel’s ability to be an actually usable alternative. These are:
- “Alternative fuels generally have lower vehicle emissions that contribute to smog, air pollution and global warming.
- Most alternative fuels don’t come from finite fossil-fuel resources and are sustainable.
- Alternative fuels can help nations become more energy independent.”
Keeping that in mind, according to the U.S. Energy Policy Act of 1992, we have eight alternative fuels of note. These alternative fuels must have the ability to serve as either a full or a partial alternative to gasoline and diesel. Let’s take a look at each:
Table of Contents
Top 8 Alternative Vehicle Fuels
Ethanol- Ethanol is an alcohol-based alternative fuel made by fermenting and distilling crops such as corn, barley or wheat. Ethanol is typically blended with gasoline to increase octane levels while improving emissions.
Natural Gas- natural gas burns clean and produces fewer emissions than gasoline and diesel. It does, however, produce methane, a greenhouse gas that is 21 times worse for global warming than CO2.
Electricity- one of the cleanest forms of alternative fuels, electric cars, when paired with a solar recharging system, is highly efficient and can be driven long distances without being plugged in. Solar-powered cars which use batteries are quiet, zero-emission and one of the most eco-friendly forms of alternative power for today’s automotive industry.
Hydrogen- when mixed with natural gas, hydrogen can power certain types of internal combustion engines or, in fuel-cell vehicles, electric motors using a petrochemical reaction.
Propane– liquefied petroleum gas or LPG, or propane, is a popular alternative fuel for many vehicles in the agriculture industry.
Biodiesel- this alternative fuel is derived from vegetable oils or animal fats and can be blended with petroleum diesel for use in unmodified engines.
Methanol- methanol, or wood alcohol, is used as an alternative fuel in flexible fuel vehicles. These are vehicles which are able to run on M85, a blend of 85% methanol and 15% gasoline.
P-Series Fuels- P-Series fuels are unique blends of ethanol, natural gas liquids and methyl tetrahydrofuran (MeTHF). This high-octane alternative fuel can be used in most flexible fuel vehicles.
While all of these alternative fuels have their own unique positives and negatives, only one has the ability to be replenished on the go and that is the solar powered electric car.
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While many solar powered vehicles are still in the prototype stages, there is one company whose solar powered vehicles are already on the road. Aptera, has launched the world’s first Never Charge electric vehicle. With one of the automotive industry’s most innovative on-vehicle solar packages, the Aptera “Never Charge” Solar enables you to travel more than 40 miles a day, and over 11,000 miles per year, without ever having to plug in.
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