Desires to reduce environmental impacts, reliance on foreign oil, and the cost of driving have led to the development of alternative energy sources for cars such as biofuels, natural gas, and electricity. The question, then, is which of these alt fuels offer the most promise. Introduction this report investigates the business model challenges of bringing to market new infrastructures for alternative fuel vehicles. By december 31, 2015, all new light duty vehicles leased or purchased by agencies must be alternative fueled vehicles, such as hybrid or electric, compressed natural gas, or biofuel. Pseries fuels are a blend of ethanol, natural gas liquids and methyltetrahydrofuran methf, a cosolvent derived from biomass. In 2010 5% of the global vehicle fleet of around 1 billion vehicles could use high blends of alternative fuels or electricity.
As the years pass research of alternative fuels is becoming more and more imperative. Essay about alternative fuel vehicles 2299 words bartleby. Pdf on dec 1, 2003, paul leiby and others published understanding the transition to. Environmental protection agency states that among the 50 states, california residents are the greatest consumers of vehicles running on alternative fuels. Moreover, agency alternative fueled vehicles must, as soon as practicable, be located in proximity to fueling stations with available alternative fuels, and be operated on the alternative fuel for which. Alternative fuel fleet vehicle evaluations transportation.
Pseries fuels can be used alone or mixed with gasoline in any ratio by simply adding it to the tank. Ethanol is probably one of the alternative fuels that is at the forefront of the race, and making the strongest bid to become the next solution to gasoline. Hybrids combine a gasoline or diesel engine with an electrical motor system to. Natural gas and propane can be found in a handful of standard production vehicles. Today we also have some vehicles that can use a higher blend of ethanol up to 85 percent called e85. Usage of biodiesel is economical for the consumer and. Alternative fuel vehicle refers to a vehicle that runs on a fuel other than traditional gasoline or diesel.
Because alternative fuels benefit missouris environment and economy, their use in state vehicles is also missouri law. The use of alternative fuels can potentially lower emissions of criteria pollutants and greenhouse gases, and reduce americas dependence on imported oil. These vehicles, known as flexiblefuel vehicles, can use e85, gasoline, or any mixture of the two. This guide lists relevant sources of information on alternative fuel vehicles and includes electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and personal transportation vehicles, as. The road for hybrid vehicles and alternative fuels is not going to be an easy one. Doego1020011142 august 2001 advanced technology and. Alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles are seen by proponents as integral to. However, many drivers dont know that emission reductions vary between alternative fuels. E85 is available in many parts of the country but primarily in the midwest. Hevs, which combine the internal com bustion engine of a conventional vehicle with an electric motor, can achieve about twice the fuel economy of conventional.
In 2015, passenger cars led the market revenue, and this segment is projected to grow at a cagr of 11. They produce fewer carbon emissions and harmful particulates than standard diesel. In 1997, some vehicle manufacturers began including e85fueling capability in. Biodiesel is a renewable fuel that can be manufactured from vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled cooking grease for use in diesel vehicles. Some of the common and special liquid fuels and oxidizers are listed in table 3. Early electric cars were very popular because of the ease of use. This guide lists relevant sources of information on alternative fuel vehicles and includes electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and personal transportation vehicles, as well as the technology of fuel economy and alternative fuels. Diesel, biodiesel, and ethanol are the most widely used alternative fuels. News about alternative fuel vehicles, including commentary and archival articles published in the new york times. Summary of current status of alternative fuels and vehicles. Vehicle emissions are known to negatively affect air quality and human health. For these reasons, emission reduction plays a role in many fleet and consumer decisions to acquire alternative fuel vehicles afvs. In addition to conventional gasoline and diesel fuel, reformulated cleaner gasoline and alternative fuels now are sold in many parts of the country.
Government and privatesector vehicle fleets are the primary users for most of these fuels and vehicles, but individual consumers are increasingly interested. With the cost of fossil fuels continueing to rise the reemergence of the electric car seems to be inevitable and the quest by some manufacturers to produce something unique and push the boundaries has resulted in the production of the tesla motors roadster or darkstar. A comparison of the carbon cycle for biofuels a renewable alternative fuel for vehicles and fossil fuels is provided in figure 1. Competitive prices and incentives for alternative fuel vehicles afv, fuels, and. Alternative fuel vehicles and home library of congress. Pdf we quantify the conditions that might trigger wide spread adoption of. Options for alternative fuels and advanced vehicles in greensburg. Nov 07, 2012 biodiesel vehicles use a blend of petroleum diesel and vegetable oils. The national target for cumulative production and sales of electric and plugin hybrid vehicles is 500,000 units by 2015. Driving forces in alternative fuels vehicle development 1418 a.
Alternative fuels research clean automotive technology. The nev target for 2020, originally set at 5 million vehicles, was recently scaled back to 1 million vehicles. In the near future our fossil fuels that we use to power our lives will be gone. Alternative fuels excludes all fuels refined from petroleum that are normally liquid at ambient conditions, such as gasoline through heavy fuel oil. The report presents an outlook for alternative motor fuels and new vehicles. Fuels and vehicle technology us department of transportation. Using alternative fuels and advanced vehicles instead of conventional fuels and vehicles helps the united states conserve fuel and lower vehicle emissions. Simulating early adoption of alternative fuel vehicles for sustainability. Epact provides incentives to introduce alternative fuel vehicles afvs and required. Source for information on alternative fuels and vehicles. Alternative fuels and us automobile manufacturers table of contents page abstract 12 1. Transitions to alternative vehicles and fuels assesses the potential for reducing petroleum consumption and ghg emissions by 80 percent across the u. Alternative and emerging fuels section 2 are discussed in the first part of this report, followed by alternative and advanced vehicles types sections 3 and 4, respectively. New business models for alternative fuel and powertrain vehicles 3 1.
An alternative fuel vehicle is a motor vehicle that runs on a fuel other than traditional petroleum fuels petrol or diesel fuel. This report examines the current capability and estimated future performance and costs for each vehicle type and nonpetroleumbased fuel technology as. There is a perception that there needs to be a coordinated codeployment of vehicles and infrastructures to assure both the producers of. In partnership with industry, nrel evaluates the inuse performance of alternative fuels in delivery, transit, and freight vehicles. However, application in lightduty conventional vehicles is growing. Alternative fuels and advanced vehicles more than a dozen alternative fuels are in production or under development for use in alternative fuel vehicles and advanced technology vehicles. Alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles national. Alternative fuels are derived from resources other than petroleum.
Public transit will remain an integral part of getting around for the foreseeable future, so to save on costs several major public transit systems are adapting alternative fuels. Additional benefits, as well as challenges and controversy, will be discussed under each fuel and vehicle type. Biodiesel vehicles use a blend of petroleum diesel and vegetable oils. In terms of fuel availability, while biodiesel outlets may still show short supply nationally, drivers retain the choice of filling up with standard diesel. Liquid fuels are mainly obtained from the crude oil. Partnerships, alliances, crossshareholdings and outright mergers and acquisitions will all feature as. Aside from being a thread to the environment, the dependence on fossil fuel, specifically oil, creates concern over the stability of the economy of the united states. To offset the higher costs of purchasing alternative fuel vehicles, the federal government and certain state agencies have offered incentives to consumers who acquire vehicles that. Alternative fuels, known as nonconventional and advanced fuels, are any materials or substances that can be used as fuels, other than conventional fuels like. The emissions impact and energy output provided by alternative fuels varies, depending on the fuel source. When the more powerful internal combustion engine was introduced it became the vehicle of choice for most and the oil producing companies have become rich on the sales of fossil fuel. Methods of powering vehicles have changed in recent decades.
How alternative fuels are changing these transportation. Although biodiesel is the most commonly used alternative fuel in medium and heavyduty diesel vehicles, fischertropsch diesel and liquefied and compressed natural gas are also viable options. Often, they produce less pollution than gasoline or diesel. We can also combine monte carlo simulations with scenario analysis. Transportation fleets generally have refueling facilities on. Pdf understanding the transition to new fuels and vehicles. The fuel conservation for state vehicles statute sections 414. The federal highway administration fhwa recently announced the designation of the nations first alternative fuel corridors for electric, hydrogen, natural gas, and propane vehicles. The pros and cons of alternative fuel cars carsdirect. Additionally, certificate programs in alternative fuel offer instruction in various alternative fuel systems as well as how the new technologies and fuels are utilized in vehicles. Alternative fueled vehicles and alternative vehicle fuels. The industry has changed in recent decades to produce cleaner burning fuels and blend increasing amounts of biofuels into gasoline. New business models for alternative fuel and alternative oecd. Hydrogen fuel cells have been researched for years and are now moving into commercial use.
Biodiesel, a type of fuel made from vegetable oil or animal fat, can power engines found in buses, boats, large trucks and power equipment. The feasibility of adding alternative fuel vehicles to the fleet 2190 words 9 pages. The passenger vehicle segment is estimated to dominate the market from 2016 to 2022. The nations petroleum refining industry processes millions of barrels of crude oil per day into products such as gasoline and diesel fuel used to power vehicles and aircraft and provides feedstock for the petrochemical industry. An alternative fuel, most generally defined, is any fuel other than the traditional selections, gasoline and diesel, used to produce energy or power. Jan 01, 2005 111 alternative fuels and their application to combustion engin es fig.
Adding alternative fuel vehicles to lotus rental car in an effort to bring down the gasoline cost for his fleet, lotus cars chief financial officer is looking at the possibility of adding alternative fuel vehicles to its fleet. Chapter 3 conventional fuels and alternative fuels 31 3. When plants are grown to replace those converted to biofuels, the carbon moves in a shortterm, balanced cycle and does not increase the overall concentration of co 2 in the atmosphere. This chapter discusses the fuel production and use associated with striving to meet the overall study goals of a 50 percent reduction in petroleum use by 2030 and an 80 percent reduction in petroleum use and in greenhouse gas ghg emissions from the lightduty vehicle ldv fleet by 2050 compared to the corresponding values in 2005. Driving a car fueled by something other than gasoline or diesel fuel is no longer the stuff of science fiction. Hybrid electric vehicles hevs typically combine the internal combustion. Dan sperling november, 2012 fall quarter 2012 energy and environmental aspects of transportation civil and environmental engineering eci 163 environmental science and policy esp 163. Alternative fuels research epa researches and evaluates the feasibility of running vehicles on nonpetroleum fuels, such as alcohol fuels.
Measures to increase the demand of alternative fuels vehicles 45. Although biodiesel is the most commonly used alternative fuel in medium and heavyduty diesel vehicles, fischertropsch diesel and liquefied and. Increasing the use of alternative fuels and vehicles will help. Alternative and emerging fuels section 2 are discussed in the first part of this report, followed by alternative and advanced vehicles types sections 3.
State of the art on alternative fuels transport systems in the. Asiapacific dominated the global market accounting for a market share of around. Vehicles contribute to 25% of the total co2 emission of the world. However, the switch from current fuels to the alternative fuels requires a fuel infrastructure change, since most of the alternative fuels are not dropin fuels e.
Alternative fuels for vehicles online pdh provider for. New business models for alternative fuel and alternative. United states imports twothirds of all the petroleum we use. Tr anspor tation, petroleum use, and alter natives guest lecture. Electricity can be generated from fossil fuels but also wind, solar, wave, or nuclear power. Fleet managers are in an ideal situation to consider vehicles using alternatives to petroleum fuels. Used exclusively or blended with other diesel fuels, biodiesel originates from crops such as soybean and corn. Pdf alternative fuels and their application to combustion. Biodiesel, hvo hydrotreated vegetable oils, synthetic diesel, ethanol, methanol, dme dimethyl ether, methane, electricity 4 an overview of the relationship. Alternative fuel vehicles slowly but surely our nations natural resources are running out.
Alternative fuel price report alternative fuels data center. Check out our alternative fuels data center for information, maps, and tools related to all types of advanced vehicles. We use about million barrels of oil each day to keep us on the move. Alternative fuels and vehiclesthe term alternative fuels first appeared in the energy literature in the late 1970s as a way to refer to nonconventional fuelsfuels that are not gasoline, diesel or aviation fuel. The good news is that researchers have proven that vehicles can run on natural gas, electricity, hydrogen, nitrogen, biofuels like elephant grass and even biodiesels based on restaurant grease or chicken waste. Commercial vehicle segment is expected to grow at the highest cagr of 21. From electric cars and propane vehicles to natural gaspowered buses and trucks that run on biodiesel, todays options for alternative fuel vehicles are vast. Status and outlook for biofuels, other alternative fuels and new. However, the carbon cycle for fossil fuels requires millions of years to complete.
Jan 21, 2016 however, the switch from current fuels to the alternative fuels requires a fuel infrastructure change, since most of the alternative fuels are not dropin fuels e. Pdf simulating early adoption of alternative fuel vehicles for. Transitions to alternative vehicles and fuels the national. Some are produced domestically, reducing our dependence on imported oil, and some are derived from renewable sources. In terms of fuel availability, while biodiesel outlets may still show short supply nationally, drivers retain. Biodiesel, hvo hydrotreated vegetable oils, synthetic diesel, ethanol, methanol, dme dimethyl ether, methane, electricity 4. Pseries fuels are clear, highoctane alternative fuels that can be used in flexible fuel vehicles. Because of a combination of factors, such as environmental concerns, high oil prices and the potential for. Key findings of alternative fuel and hybrid vehicle market study. Mar 18, 2019 pseries fuels are a blend of ethanol, natural gas liquids and methyltetrahydrofuran methf, a cosolvent derived from biomass.
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