Gasoline and diesel have been our primary fuels used in automotive, farm and recreational vehicles for decades. Our dependence on other countries to provide us with gasoline has gone into a downward spiral with the economy doing so poorly and the poor mileage rated cars that are being produced. Without having a certain level of efficiency in our vehicles, we are only pushing ourselves closer to the point of necessitating an alternate fuel source. Oil production is expected to diminish to a near halt as near as forty years from now. It’s time to start really digging in and getting other renewable energy sources into mainstream use.

Many automakers pride themselves in their high performance vehicles, and the world has been brain washed into thing that bigger and faster is almost always better. Sex appeal definitely drives automobile sales. We need to start thinking smarter before it’s too late.

• There are several different options out there for alternative fuel or propulsion. Many advances have been made in the research of integrating these into the vehicles that we drive. Some of these alternatives are:

- Hydrogen

• As plentiful as the air that we breathe, however the production of the fuel cells is often expensive since most designs require large amounts of platinum as a catalyst.

- Biodiesel

• Basically the use of refined vegetable oil or animal fat chemically reacted with alcohol as a substitute for conventional diesel fuel. Biodiesel can break down rubber gaskets in engines manufactured before 1992. Newer gaskets are nonreactive to biodiesel.

- Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)

• As the name implies, this is natural gas stored in a compressed liquid state. This is an efficient fuel, however additional storage is necessary since it takes up more room for each gasoline equivalent. CNG is a fossil fuel as well so it will run out at some point as well.

- Ethanol

• This is purely drinking alcohol. Produced from the fermentation of sugar and is highly renewable. Ethanol can be run in flexible fuel vehicles as an additive.

- Methanol

• The use of this is a bit more limited due to the fact that it is not nearly as flammable as gasoline. Methanol does not ignite as easily as gasoline and only produces one-eighth the heat upon burning.

- Liquefied Coal

• Coals may be converted to liquid fuels such as gasoline or diesel. In the liquefaction process it is either hydrogenated or carbonized.

- Liquid Nitrogen

• Changes from its liquid form to gas quickly when warmed up. This creates a rapid flow of gas that can propel an air motor thus moving the car. Nitrogen liquefies at a temperature of -320 degrees F. Now that’s COLD!

- Compressed Air

• This is exactly what it sounds like. If this form of fuel is used, you could fill up your tires and your tank with pure air. I’m pretty sure we will never run out of this alternative. There are already motors in limited production today using compressed air.

- Electricity

• Pure electric automobiles have made many attempts at entering the auto industry but have failed numerous times. Now with technology advances in batteries and electric motors, this is really becoming a viable solution. Tesla Motors has really made some great strides with their vehicles.

As far as alternatives that are out there, you can see that we are at no shortage of ideas. We just need to take a stand and make a change in our daily thinking.

Smarter is Better!