Car Fuels

In order for a vehicle to move around from A to B, it will need some type of fuel. The main types of fuel are unleaded petrol and Diesel. However there are now more economic alternative fuels available on the market.

These alternative fuels are things like methanol, compressed natural gas, ethanol, liquefied petroleum gas and also electricity. These types of fuels produce less tail pipe pollutants than the normal petrol and diesel fuel. By using these alternatives, drivers are able to improve the air quality.

During 1992, Parliament approved the Energy Policy Act in order to encourage the use of these alternative fuels. For instance, the law requires the owners of fleet vehicles (such as Lorries, vans & company cars) to buy a certain quantity of these alternative fuelled vehicles. Parliament also told the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to release labelling needs for the alternative fuels as well as the alternative fuelled vehicles. There are 2 FTC Rules which are the AFV Rule & the Fuel Rating Rule. These insist that fuel dispensers and the alternative fuelled vehicles are to be labelled with the right sort of information that will help the consumers make the right choice when they are filling up or purchasing a new vehicle. The AFV Rule will apply to the new and the used alternative fuelled vehicles which are sold to customers or leased to them for a minimum of 4 months.

The points to be aware of for owning one of these alternative fuel cars are:

Operating costs - the Fuel and maintenance costs for these vehicles can be better than those costs of an unleaded or diesel car.

Performance/convenience – Cars that use the alternative fuels will vary in their capability of starting when they are cold; the length of time it would take to refill the whole tank and their acceleration rates.

Fuel availability - There are not a great number of places which supply these alternative fuels as they are just being introduced to the market. This makes it harder to fill your car with fuel. Therefore a driver should look at the fuelling and recharging facilities that are available in their area prior to purchasing an alternative fuelled vehicle, otherwise they may buy one and realise they cannot use it because there is no where to fill it up.

Energy security/renewability – The car purchaser should think about how and where the fuel which is running the car is produced so that they are able to anticipate the long-term fuel accessibility at a reasonable price.

Within the fuels which are covered by the new Fuel Rating Rule as well as the Alternative Fuels & Vehicles Rule are fuels like methanol, natural gas, ethanol, liquefied petroleum gases, coal derived liquid fuels, hydrogen, and electricity. For instance, methanol is an odourless, clear fluid which is produced from coal, natural gas, or biomass resources, like crop and forest residues. It is normally sold as a mixture of 85% methanol and 15% petrol. Ethanol is a liquid which is produced from the grain/agricultural waste which is normally sold as a mixture of 85% denatured ethanol and 15% petrol.

The reason why someone should consider changing to an alternative fuelled vehicle or use alternative fuels is because research has presented the fact that the emissions that come from the 200 million cars & trucks on the roads are mostly nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, and carbon monoxide. This accounts for around 50% of all the air pollution as well as more than 80% of urban air pollution. By using the alternative fuelled vehicles, the public could decrease the vehicle emissions level and by choosing the domestically created alternative fuels instead of the imported oil, they could help decrease the trade deficit, promote economic activity and create new jobs.

As well as this, they should be aware that a few of the alternative fuels contain a lower energy substance compared to the normal petrol.

By driving these forms of vehicles, one can help to decrease pollution from their vehicle emissions even if they do not choose an AFV or alternative fuel. If they live or work in a place where the air pollution is an ongoing problem, they may be able to find a reformulated petrol at their local petrol garage. This reformulated petrol is a conventional petrol which has added oxygen. It will burn more cleanly than the normal petrol and is required in places that have the more severe levels of air pollution.