Drive into the Future

Ethanol Ethanol is a type of alcohol made from starchy plant crops such as corn. It is also made from sugarcane. Advantages Domestically produced, reducing use of imported petroleum Lower emissions of air pollutants More resistant to engine knock Added vehicle cost is very small Disadvantages: Can only be used in flex-fuel vehicles Lower energy content, resulting in fewer miles per gallon Limited availability Currently expensive to produce

Ethanol – Chevy Impala $ 25,245 18/29 mpg Mercedes Benz 33,300 18/21 mpg

Sugar cane vs Corn – see the difference??

Biodiesel - Biodiesel is a form of diesel fuel manufactured from vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled restaurant greases Advantages Domestically produced from non-petroluem, renewable resources Can be used in most diesel engines, especially newer ones Less air pollutants (other than nitrogen oxides) and greenhouse gases Biodegradable Non-toxic Safer to handle Disadvantages Use of blends above B5 not yet warrantied by auto makers Lower fuel economy and power (10% lower for B100, 2% for B20) Currently more expensive More nitrogen oxide emissions B100 generally not suitable for use in low temperatures Concerns about B100's impact on engine durability

Biodiesel Volkswagon Jetta $21,990 41/50 mpg BMW 335d $45, mpg

Hydrogen – Hydrogen is the simplest atom on the periodic table. It consists of one proton and one electron. It is in a gas form at room normal Earth temperatures. It is made in the following ways: Separating Hydrogen from oxygen in a water molecule using electricity to do this. Separating the Carbon from Hydrocarbons such as natural gas. Most Hydrogen is produced by reacting natural gas ( a non renewable fossil fuel) with steam to separate the carbon from hydrogen ( and releasing carbon into the atmosphere.

Advantanges and Disadvantages Advantages Produced Domestically. Hydrogen can be produced domestically from several sources, reducing our dependence on petroleum imports. Environmentally Friendly. Hydrogen produces no air pollutants or greenhouse gases when used in fuel cells; it produces only nitrogen oxides (NOx) when burned in ICEs. Disadvantages Fuel Cost & Availability. Hydrogen is currently expensive to produce and is only available at a handful of locations, mostly in California. Vehicle Cost & Availability. Fuel cell vehicles are currently far too expensive for most consumers to afford,.Fuel cell vehicles Most hydrogen is produced from fossil fuels, such as natural gas and carbon is released into the atmosphere. Onboard Fuel Storage. Hydrogen contains much less energy than gasoline or diesel on a per-volume basis, making it difficult for hydrogen vehicles to go as far as gasoline vehicles between fillups—about 300 miles. Technology is improving, but the onboard hydrogen storage systems do not yet meet size, weight, and cost goals for commercialization.

Hydrogen Cars Ron Scorpion $150, mpgShelby Cobra$149, mpg Honda FXC Clarity 149,000 68mpgHydrogen Hummer 10 $150,000

Natural Gas Cars Natural gas is a fossil fuel found in the same places as coal and petroleum ( gasoline). It is also a byproduct of producing gasoline. Honda Civic GX $25,225 and 24/36 mpg Volkswagon Touran $26,500 and 41 mpg

Advantages and Disadvantages Nearly 87% of U.S. natural gas used is domestically produced 60-90% less smog- producing pollutants 30-40% less greenhouse gas emissions Less expensive than gasoline Limited vehicle availability Less readily available than gasoline & diesel Fewer miles on a tank of fuel

Electric Tessla $114,000 – mile range charge time of 3.5 hours Nissan Leaf $ Mile range Charge time 4-8 hours

Tesla Price: $114,000 – $ ( but there is a 42,000 rebate and 7,500 tax credit) Goes from 0-60 in 3.7 seconds Goes 240 miles before it needs a recharge. Charges in 3.5 hours.

Advantages and Disadvantages Energy efficient. Electric motors convert 75% of the chemical energy from the batteries to power the wheels—internal combustion engines only convert 20% of their energy. Environmentally friendly. EVs emit no tailpipe pollutants, although the power plant producing the electricity may emit them. Performance benefits. Electric motors provide quiet, smooth operation and stronger acceleration and require less maintenance than ICEs. Reduce energy dependence. Electricity is a domestic energy source. Driving range. Most EVs can only go about 100–200 miles before recharging—gasoline vehicles can go over 300 miles before refueling. Recharge time. Fully recharging the battery pack can take 4 to 8 hours. Battery cost: The large battery packs are expensive and may need to be replaced one or more times. Bulk & weight: Battery packs are heavy and take up considerable vehicle space.

Solar Cars Solar cars are used primarily in demonstrations, races and competitions. Solar energy in today’s cars is used primarily for helping to charge the battery, radio and starters in cars. There is a race across both Australia and the US each year with pure solar technology. They are hard to use for day to day transportation because they need to be very small, usually only hold one person. and they need constant sun or they stop.

The Solar Prius is a Solar Hybrid. The solar panels on its roof operate the air conditioning system, keeping the car interior cool even when it is parked, and keeping the batter power for other things, like making the car move.

Hybrid Hybrid cars combine electric technology ( battery) with another fuel, usually gasoline. These cars use all the energy conversions they can to charge the battery from the turning of the wheels to the thermal energy created by stepping on the brakes, all is converted back to stored energy in the battery to be converted to electric energy later on. Toyota Prius $22,000 45/48 mpg Honda Civic $24,350 40/45 mpg Toyota Camry $26,150 33/35 mpg

Other – compressed air car $17,800. Travels 124 miles before being refueled. Compresses 4351 psi into a small chamber that is shot out which then moves the crank shaft