Alternative Fuel Cars

Check out the graphical list of alternative fuel cars below to see all of the different types of alternative fuel vehicles that are available. From electric cars to hybrid cars to fuel cell cars to flex fuel cars to bio diesel cars down to even propane cars (yes, cars that run on propane – believe it or not), you can learn some things about each of these alternative fuel vehicles below. Not matter what type of vehicle you have, be sure to then enter your zip code in on this page for a free car insurance quotes comparison!

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Is Oil the Only Option?

America loves the automobile. Even our major cities are built, not so much for foot or bicycle traffic, but for busses, cars, and trucks. This is a massive country. The heartland is responsible for growing much of our food, but it is sparsely populated. To remedy this, grain, livestock, and other foodstuffs must be transported great distances to get to the (largely coastal) population centers. The rail situation in this country is also severely lacking. While there is some highspeed and commercial rail on the east coast and some regional freight lines near major shipping centers in the midwest, the railroad has ceased to be the transportation force that it once was.

Because of this, numerous environmental groups have been lobbying for years to decrease our use of oil-derived fuels like gas. Pumping oil out of the ground is a lengthy, expensive process that causes untold damage to the environment. Disasters like the gulf oil spill further compound the negative impact that the oil industry can have on the environment.

The emissions from processing and burning gas in our vehicles is eroding the ozone layer that our planet has depended on for ages and accelerating global warming. All these effects taken together are big trouble for the planet on which we live. What is one way we can all help save our planet and build a greener tomorrow? Alternative fuels!

Types of Alternative Fuel Cars

Dedicated Electric: Couldn’t be simpler. The dedicated electric car runs entirely on electricity. No gas required. You plug it in when not in use (at night, during work, etc.) and it’s ready to go when you need it. Because there are no tailpipe emissions, this car is massively better for the environment. Where that electricity comes from in the first place (coal burning plant, nuclear plant, etc.) is another environmental issue, but at least it’s one less gas-burning car on the road.

Flex Fuel: The “flex” in flex-fuel is ethanol. Ethanol is a high-test alcohol that is blended with gasoline to create something called “E-85.” These cars can run on normal gas or this gas-ethanol blend. The big seller behind these cars is that ethanol is a renewable resource. We can always make more ethanol because we make it out of corn (there are even places where they make it out of other types of organic material like garbage). The downside to these vehicles is that their emissions still do pollute the air.

Propane: You read that right – there are actually vehicles out there that run on propane, just like a barbecue grill. These vehicles are supposedly more efficient, and thus have fewer emissions of dangerous greenhouse gasses, but they still rely on a non-renewable fuel source and so one day they will all be useless when all the propane runs out.

Hybrids: Hybrid cars (and trucks and busses) hit the scene quite a few years ago. They are triumphs of form and function, yielding up incredible “gas mileage” because they aren’t always using gasoline. They contain electric propulsion systems that are recharged during the braking process. The car then draws on this electricity under certain conditions, decreasing the car’s reliance on gasoline. This means that you buy less gas, use less gas over the life of the car, and produce a lower volume of greenhouse gasses (though you do still produce some).

Biodiesel: Last but not least comes biodiesel. Believe it or not, all cars built to run on diesel can run on biodiesel as well. Biodiesel is actually just high-test used cooking oil that has been filtered. Biodiesel users typically make their own (if they have a place to store gallons and gallons of used cooking oil) or fill up at special stations. The emissions from biodiesel vehicles are 42% lower than standard diesel.

Alternative Fuel Car Statistics

Given all that info, if you think that alternative fuel vehicles are few and far between, think again. There have been over 43 million alternative fuel cars sold across the world as of 2011. Let’s see the breakdown:

Dedicated Electric: 160,000 cars. You can get a Nissan Leaf for $32,000 or a Tesla Roadster for about $130,000.

Hybrid Electric: 3.3 million cars. Try a BMW hybrid if you’ve got a spare $90,000 lying around or get the Ford Fusion for about a third of that.

Biodiesel: Grab a Biodiesel BMW for $45,000. The Volkswagen Jetta goes for about half that.

Flexi-Fuel: Vehicles number 22.6 million worldwide, with the Chevy Malibu LS going for a pretty affordable $28,000.

Propane: There are just over 11 million natural gas powered vehicles on the road. You can get a propane-powered civic for about $15,000.

Alternative Fuel Filling Stations

If you happen to have an E-85 capable vehicle and you’re wondering where to fill it up, check out our handy map to see where you can find the most filling stations by state. Other types of alternative fuels (like electrical and hybrid) don’t need a special filling station, just the money to get the vehicle to begin with.