Electric, hybrid, bio-ethanol, fuel cell? Which is best? Is it really green? These are just some of the questions facing the motor industry around the world as they are put under more and more pressure to produce low / no carbon emission transport.
Most major motor manufacturers have been exploring Green Technology for many years. One thing they cannot seem to agree on is which Green option is the best in both environmentally friendly and indeed financial terms.
Biofuel
A vehicle can become more environmentally friendly by mixing in renewable fuels. Typical petrol cars can tolerate up to 15% ethanol. Another option is a flexible-fuel vehicle which allows a varying mixture of petrol and ethanol.
Currently the lowest emission fuel available for diesel engines is bio-diesel. Often a diesel engine can transition 100% to run on bio-diesel, however, bio-diesel causes problems simply because it removes all of the built-up residue in an engine which in turn can clog filters and cause breakdowns and costly repairs.
Most of the big name s in the motor industry produce bio fuel vehicles including Chrysler, Ford and Volvo.
Many environmentalists doubt the green credentials of bio fuel simply because it uses food resources in order to provide mechanical energy for vehicles. Many experts point to this as a reason for growing food prices. So in order to have a low environmental impact, biofuels should be made only from waste products, or from new sources - i.e. algae.
Electric
Electric cars by their design do not need Petrol or Diesel to run (although some manufacturers do believe a fossil fuel / electric hybrid to be the greenest route). Electric motors often achieve 90% energy conversion efficiency. They can also be combined with regenerative braking systems that have the ability to convert movement energy back into stored electricity. This can be used to reduce the wear on brake systems and reduce the total energy requirement of a trip.
At face value electric cars seem the logical step forward however it all depends on how the electricity that charges them is produced (via a wind turbine is more environmentally friendly than that created by the use of fossil fuels).
Electric cars are appearing more and more on UK roads with many major manufacturers (Citroen, Fiat etc) investing heavily in promoting their green alternatives.
Fuel Cell
A fuel cell is an electrochemical conversion device that produces electricity from fuel and an oxidant, which react in the presence of an electrolyte. The reactants flow into the cell, and the reaction products flow out of it, while the electrolyte remains within it.
Many combinations of fuels and oxidants are possible. A hydrogen fuel cell uses hydrogen as its fuel and oxygen (usually from air) as its oxidant. Other fuels include hydrocarbons and alcohols. Other oxidants include chlorine and chlorine dioxide.
Developments are being made all the time (indeed some manufacturers
have released hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles, e.g. The Honda FCX Clarity) fuel cell technology is said to be very expensive.
Hybrid
Hybrid cars generally use a combination of two power sources. The most common hybrids currently available on the market use both electric motors and the petrol combustion engines. Batteries charge and act as a storage device to power an electric motor, usually working when the vehicle is travelling at low speed or in traffic. The petrol engine, usually a small efficient unit, then powers the car when more power is needed such as at higher speeds allowing the combustion engine to only operate at its more optimum efficient speeds.
The combustion engine along with regenerative braking is used to recharge the battery therefore hybrid cars do not need to be plugged in and charged up. This combination of battery power and internal combustion engine produces less pollution and CO2 as no gases are released when the electric motor is running.
The Toyota Prius is probably the best known hybrid vehicle (due to its celebrity buyers) however many manufacturers produce their own hybrid vehicles in the UK including Honda and Lexus.
If a new green car is beyond your means remember you can help save the environment simply by using recycled car parts.
Alan Hutt invites you to see for yourself the effectiveness of http://find-a-part.com Its easy to complete form will soon have you ordering those hard to find used car parts and get you back on the road.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alan_Hutt
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