A Reader's guide to alternative fuels for

automobiles.

A reader’s guide to alternative fuels in automobiles. Our oil supply isn’t infinite, what happens
when we eventually run out of oil, or when environmental pressures force us to use cleaner
energy? We will research many of the potential alternatives to gasoline and their pros and cons.
We will also attempt to find the best alternative fuel to replace the heavily relied on gasoline.
 Table of Contents
Table of contents 2

Acknowledgements 3

Introduction 4

Collection of sources 8

Glossary of key terms 11

Projected Inquiry

About the editor 13

Acknowledgements
Thank you to those who helped during my process of research, and my parents and
friends who provided general research ideas. I’d also like to thank the library for
providing me access to their resources and their website. Also thanks to my peers
for giving me their opinions on the various alternative fuels.

Introduction
As a automobile enthusiast I can’t help but be concerned when what powers the vehicles I care
so much about is limited and will inevitably run out. Even if it's unlikely that we will run out of
gasoline within my lifetime the importance of alternative fuels can’t be ignored not only because
of our limited supply but also because of environmental and economic reasons. Are there any
benefits to using alternative fuels performance wise? An example of this is how quickly electric
cars accelerate. Since 1886 we have arguably mastered gasoline powered vehicles, what are the
possible alternative fuels that can reduce or replace our global dependence on gasoline powered
cars? My plan with this resource guide is to help answer this question and seek out the most
likely and best successor to gasoline.

My first topic is Electric powered automobiles. Electric powered cars use batteries to

drive an electric motor. Electric cars are the most popular alternative to the traditional

combustion engines, this can be seen in the success of tesla and the electric/hybrid cars of other

companies. Electric powered cars are generally very cost effective when compared to gasoline

fueled cars, costing roughly 2 cents per mile. Currently there are a limited number of public

charging stations but their availability is rapidly increasing more as electric cars popularity

grows. When compared to combustion engines electric motors are more efficient and more

performance friendly. Also some governments are supporting electric car owners by providing

tax cuts/ credits, in the U.S it can be up to $7,500. Another benefit of electric cars is that they

produce no emissions, but some of the power plants used to generate electricity still do. Even

when the power plants emissions are taken into account electric vehicles produce around 90%

less greenhouse gasses. Also in some places there are solar charging stations, they are the most

environmentally friendly methods of charging and provide free charging to the owners of electric

vehicles. Solar panels have also been mounted to electric cars taking the shape of the roof, but

the limited size of the solar panels and the inability to orientate themselves to face the sun limits

their effectiveness.The main downsides of modern electric cars are a relatively short range (this
is not as much as a problem in hybrids), a longer charging time, and higher production cost than

their gasoline fueled cousins. Overall electric vehicles are a very efficient and environmentally

friendly alternative fuel. If their production cost, range, and charging times improved they would

be a good replacement for gasoline powered cars.

Ethanol does not completely replace our dependence on oil but it does reduce it. Ethanol

fuels are a mixture of gasoline and ethanol (alcohol produced from plants) the ratio of gasoline to

ethanol is represented by its “E” rating. An example is E85, 85 percent ethanol 15 percent

gasoline. Ethanol fuels have a pretty mixed balance of pros and cons. Ethanol fuels produce less

greenhouse gasses and the ethanol part of the fuel is a completely renewable resource. Also

ethanol has potentially better performance than gasoline resulting in higher horsepower and a

better compression ratio, this is due to the fuels higher octane rating. It's also slightly cheaper per

gallon and has almost no additional vehicle cost. It's possible ethanol could replace gasoline in

racing and performance cars because of its performance benefits. E85 has become the fuel of

choice in the Indy racing league. Ethanol fuels are currently in use with the U.S using about 14.4

billion gallons in 2016 a huge increase since the 1.7 billion in 2001. However ethanol does have

its downsides too. Because of its octane rating it is more difficult to start on cold days and has

gets less miles per gallon when compared to traditional gasoline. Also it can only be used in

“flex-fuel” vehicles and has a very limited availability. To be able to completely replace our

roughly 200 billion gallons of gasoline use we would need to dedicate roughly 71% of the U.S

farmland into ethanol producing corn, this is about 675 million acres. Thus it's unlikely ethanol

will ever replace our gasoline dependence but it can definitely reduce it.

Natural gasses, Hydrogen, Propane. Natural gases are one of the cleanest burning fuels

producing 20-45% less smog and about 9% less greenhouse gasses. Natural gas is also
significantly cheaper than gasoline but not as readily available. Also 96% of the natural gas

supply in the U.S is produced domestically, this reduces our dependency on trade. However

natural gas only has about ⅓ the efficiency of gasoline, larger tanks or more stops to refuel are

needed to travel the same distance. Also natural gas can only be used in dedicated vehicles and

“bi-fuel” vehicles which can also utilize diesel and gasoline. In the case of the bi-fuel vehicles

additional space has to be provided for the tanks that hold the natural gas, typically reducing

cargo/ passenger space. Hydrogen is a very promising alternative fuel and comes in two forms of

powering a vehicle, combustion engines, and fuel cells. Current combustion engines can be

modified to use hydrogen as a fuel source, producing no emissions. The most promising, fuel

cells can power electric motors with the only byproduct being water. Hydrogen has the highest

energy to weight ratio of any energy source, however it currently takes a significant amount of

energy to compress a significant amount of hydrogen. Hydrogen can also be produced

domestically, reducing our reliance on imports. Even though hydrogen is very promising there

are some current problems we are facing. One of which is hydrogens limited availability with

only a handful of refueling stations. Another is that Fuel cell powered vehicles cost significantly

more than gasoline fueled cars. Also hydrogen has less energy per volume making it have less

range than gasoline or diesel. Propane (LPG) produces significantly less harmful emissions than

gasoline and is typically cheaper than gasoline. LPG also has no effect on vehicle performance

and is mostly produced domestically. However there is a limited number of vehicles that run on

LPG (usually trucks and vans), and LPG is not as readily available and has less miles per gallon.

It is possible to convert a engine to run on LPG but this will require a seperate tank and fueling

system. Natural gas, hydrogen, and propane are not likely to replace our gasoline indepence

individually but they have good potential for a future alternative fuel, especially hydrogen.
 Biodiesel a fuel that is typically made from fats, vegetable oils, and even restaurant

grease. Biodiesel can also be produced at home given the right equipment. Biodiesel can run in

most modern diesel engines and does not have any performance loss. Biodiesel has less

emissions than traditional petrol diesel and is produced from a renewable energy source.

Biodiesel is also biodegradable and non-toxic, thus it's safer to handle than diesel. However

biodiesel is currently more expensive than diesel and has a slightly lower mpg in B100 (100%

biodiesel) it's about 10% less mpg. Also biodiesel does not perform as well in lower

temperatures and may cause more wear on an engine after long-term use. If biodiesel was

cheaper it would be an adequate substitute to petrol diesel, potential engine wear can be negated

by alternating between biodiesel and petrol diesel.

Collection of sources

Many fuels
Allen, Mike. “Crunching the Numbers on Alternative Fuels.” Popular Mechanics, Popular
Mechanics, 14 Nov. 2017, www.popularmechanics.com/cars/hybrid-electric/a638/2690341/.
List various alternative fuels and their potential pros/cons. Highlights the best
competitors to gasoline and explains their likeliness to replace gasoline. Gives a potential
"outlook" for the viability of the alternate fuel in the future and how its likely to either succeed of
fail as a effective alternative to gasoline.

Electric Cars
Høyer, Karl Georg. “The History of Alternative Fuels in Transportation: The Case of Electric
and Hybrid Cars.” Utilities Policy, vol. 16, no. 2, Elsevier Ltd, 2008, pp. 63–71,
doi:10.1016/j.jup.2007.11.001.
Provides information on the history/ origins of electric and hybrid cars. Covers the
usefulness and need for electric cars at a specific time (and place). Reviews the environmental
debate to an extent and its relation to electric cars. Provides specific dates and events that have
had an effect on the development/use of electric and hybrid cars. Also covers the financials of
the cars.

“Electricity.” Fuel Economy, U.S Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov/feg/electricity.shtml.

Article on the U.S Department of energy website highlights the advantages and
disadvantages of electric vehicles. Although short and quick to the point this article has good
information and various links related to electric cars and the government benefits of using an
electric car. Also has visuals including a graph of the emissions produced by power plants.

Fairley, Peter. "Does Car-Mounted Solar Make Sense?" MIT Technology Review. MIT
Technology Review, 14 July 2008. Web. 01 Nov. 2018.
<https://www.technologyreview.com/s/410454/does-car-mounted-solar-make-sense/>.
Article on the viability of using solar panels on a car. This article references test
performed by companies and an interview. Provides good insight on the potential of using solar
panels to power electric cars.
Gasses
“Natural Gas.” Fuel Economy, U.S Department of Energy,
fueleconomy.gov/feg/bifueltech.shtml.
Similar to the other articles on the U.S Department of Energy website, it is short and
quick to the point. Listing the different methods of using natural gas to fuel vehicles and their
advantages and disadvantages. Also has additional information on the locations of natural gas
retailers for cars and links to another page that goes into detail about the fuel itself and how the
vehicles work.

“Hydrogen.” Fuel Economy, U.S Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov/feg/hydrogen.shtml.

A U.S department of energy article that focuses on the potential benefits of hydrogen as a
fuel in vehicles and the challenges needed to be overcome to make the vehicles efficient. Also
links to another page that goes deep into the details of hydrogens potential and the vehicles that
will run on it. Note this article does not list any negatives for hydrogen as a fuel source unlike the
articles on other alternative fuels.

“Propane: Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).” Fuel Economy, U.S Department of Energy,
https://fueleconomy.gov/feg/lpg.shtml .
The shortest article but still has good and relevant information. Focuses on the
environmental benefits of using propane, its availability and the vehicles that use it. Also has a
long list of “additional information” about propane vehicles, conversions, fueling stations,
propane emissions, and other publications. This article also links to another page with more
detailed information.

Other fuels
“Ethanol.” Fuel Economy, U.S Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov/feg/ethanol.shtml.
A short article that highlights the explanation of ethanol and its uses and how its
produces. However it mainly focuses on the different types of ethanol fuels (aka the mixtures)
and their use today.
“Bio Diesel.” Fuel Economy, U.S Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov/feg/biodiesel.shtml.
A short article that list the many advantages and disadvantages of ethanol as a fuel source
in a pro/ con style. Explains what biofuels can be made from and the percentage mixtures that are
being used. Also states what current automobiles can be ran off of and the potential negative
effects of using biodiesel if used incorrectly.
 Key Words

Domestic: existing or occurring inside a particular country; not foreign or

international.
Ethanol: a colorless volatile flammable liquid which is produced by the natural
fermentation of sugars; alcohol.
Fuel Cell: a cell that produces electric current from a chemical reaction.
Greenhouse gases: a gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect by absorbing
infrared radiation.
Hybrid: Cars that utilize both a electric motor and combustion engine.
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG): another name for propane or butane.
Petrol diesel: diesel fuel produced from oil.
 Afterward

Overall I have had relative ease doing my research. Part of this was because the future of
automobiles is a topic I have interest in, thus what powers said automobiles is of relative
importance to me. It's my belief that if you have to write about something that actually interest
you that the research seems like less of a chore and becomes easier. Another reason is that even
though I hated it at the time senior project did help me become better at my researching and
essay structuring, also the length of the paper itself and all the excessive parts of the project
make other writing seem easier. In addition to my previous points the scheduling/ dividing of the
due date for the sections RRG also helped, allowing for adjustments to be made to individual
parts after peer feedback. Only having to work on one or two parts at a time also allowed me to
focus on each section better. Resulting ,in my opinion a better overall product. My primary
method of organization was to group the potential alternative fuels based on their type gasses,
electric, liquid fuel, etc. If I had to choose the most difficult part of my research it would be
finding sources that had different information from each other, many of which had similar
information, limiting the number of sources with unique information. Personally I can’t say the
UWRT programs SLO’s impacted me consciously but I do believe they played a part in my
research.
 About the Editor

Hello, my name is Grayson Roberts. As stated earlier i'm an automotive

enthusiast (well more of an enthusiast of vehicles in general), so any topic
involving motorized vehicles is pretty interesting and important to me. Also I’m a
freshman at Uncc and plan to major in motorsport engineering. Born and raised in
Wilmington North Carolina, It would be a dream for me to work on high-end
performance cars or vehicles for the military.