alternative fuel vehicles
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No single definition exists for the idea of "green car," and very few shoppers set out to go buy a green car. Instead, car buyers look for vehicles that meet their needs—with fuel economy or energy efficiency somewhere in that list of needs, whether higher or lower. Certainly the definition of "green car" has evolved since this site began daily news coverage almost nine years ago. DON'T MISS: When will U.S. ban sales of new cars with engines? Poll results Then, the most popular topic was hybrid-electric vehicles, and the most popular single vehicle we covered was the Toyota Prius. That...
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Which alternative fuels will survive long-term? Twitter poll results
Building a fueling network turns out to be more of a challenge than many advocates, regulators, and drivers may have anticipated. The attempt to boost passenger vehicles fueled by cheap, abundant U.S. natural gas is now essentially over, with a mere 942 public natural-gas fueling stations...
John Voelcker -
Renewable-fuel mandate ruling leaves no one happy: the best compromise?
As they say, the best compromise is usually the one that leaves all parties equally dissatisfied. When it comes to the Environmental Protection Agency's renewable-fuel mandate, it seems regulators have reached equilibrium. The latest skirmish in the long-running battle over the U.S. renewable-fuel...
Mark Stevenson -
Which alternative fuels will survive long-term? Take our Twitter poll
You just don't hear the phrase "alternative fuels" as much as you did, say, 10 years ago. With a couple of million plug-in electric cars now on the world's roads, the idea of swapping in one hydrocarbon fuel for another may have passed its time. Admittedly biodiesel continues to make quiet inroads...
John Voelcker -
When fueling stations shut down for your natural-gas car: one reader's experience
Let's say you buy the greenest car you can, one that uses a different kind of fuel, and drive it happily for several years. What happens when the supply of your fuel suddenly ends, and you can no longer fill up your car? That's just what happened to Duncan Chalmers of Seattle, who can no longer...
John Voelcker -
EPA to study cutting amount of ethanol in U.S. gasoline
Since 2007, the Renewable Fuel Standard has required increasing levels of ethanol in gasoline blends sold in the U.S. Most fuel stations across the United States no longer offer pure gasoline, with E10—a blend of 10 percent ethanol and 90 percent gasoline—prevailing. After years of...
Sean Szymkowski -
Audi’s vision of future mobility primarily centers around an array of long-range electric cars scheduled to debut in the coming years under the "e-tron" badge. These are intended to be Tesla killers, as they’re often called in Germany. But there’s another kind of tron with a “made in Germany” label as well, and it’s not a robot from a 1990s science fiction movie: Audi’s g-tron cars run on compressed natural gas (CNG) as well as gasoline; running on natural gas emits less carbon dioxide per mile. DON'T MISS: Audi A5 is third model to run on natural...
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RIP natural-gas cars, doomed by cheap gas and electric cars
Natural gas vehicles were first promoted starting in about 2000 as a way to reduce reliance on imported oil and cut tailpipe emissions. Their promise appeared to grow near the height of the global financial crisis, when gas prices hovered around $4 per gallon across much of the United States. The...
Sean Szymkowski -
Scotland fuels car with biobutanol derived from whiskey production
Electric cars may receive most of the attention within the realm of alternative propulsion methods, but liquid hydrocarbon fuels will be with us for many decades to come. The challenge then becomes how to reduce the carbon footprint of extracting, transporting, refining, and burning those fuels to...
Sean Szymkowski -
Ethanol wasn't killed by Prohibition at Rockefeller's request: another alt-fuel myth busted
For almost a century, many people have blamed oil magnate John D. Rockefeller for the demise of ethanol as a viable fuel for internal-combustion engines. He fought its use, the theory goes, to eliminate competition for the gasoline derived from his Standard Oil business—whose descendant...
Sean Szymkowski -
Alt-fuel history: Ford Model T wasn't designed for multiple fuels, really
The myth surrounding the car that's credited with putting America on wheels simply isn't true: the Ford Model T was never meant to run fuels other than gasoline. The myth has circulated throughout the car's history, most recently thanks to the internet. It has mostly taken the form of a legend in...
Sean Szymkowski -
UPS to spend $90 million more on natural-gas vehicles, fueling stations
Natural gas has not proven popular for vehicles bought by individual consumers, but some fleet operators continue to find it an attractive alternative to gasoline and diesel. That's because the lack of public fueling infrastructure proves a major drawback for natural-gas passenger cars, but fleets...
Stephen Edelstein -
New natural-gas passenger cars from major carmakers have disappeared from the U.S. Natural-gas options are available for large pickup trucks and vans but only exist for cars through aftermarket conversions offered by specialty firms. In Europe, though, the German luxury maker Audi remains committed to natural-gas powertrains. DON'T MISS: Renault Zoe e-Sport Concept at Geneva highlights electric-car performance (live photos) At the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, the German luxury automaker launched a "g-tron" compressed natural-gas version of its A5 Sportback five-door hatchback. The A5 Sportback...
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Why liquid hydrogen may make sense for airplanes, replacing jet fuel
If you want to find a major source of transportation-related emissions, just look up. Aviation currently accounts for around 2 percent of global carbon emissions, and many analysts believe its share could triple by the middle of the century if projected growth in air travel occurs. But finding...
Stephen Edelstein -
The original biofuel for motor vehicles: wood (and why we don't use it today)
When it comes to alternative fuels, the discussion usually centers around compressed natural gas, or biofuels like ethanol or biodiesel. But before the concept of low-carbon or carbon-neutral fuels even existed, a few early makers and desperate drivers tried something completely different. They...
Stephen Edelstein -
Is ethanol-free gasoline heading for the end of the road?
The EPA expects demand for ethanol-free gasoline to gradually dissipate.
Stephen Edelstein -
EPA boosts required 2017 ethanol volume above expected level
The EPA increased the amount of ethanol to be blended with gasoline for 2017.
Stephen Edelstein -
2017 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell rated at 366 miles of range by EPA
The Toyota Mirai has taken the lead in U.S. sales of hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, though it was beaten to market early last year by the Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell. Through September, Toyota has sold 710 of its four-person Mirai sedan—though up to half of those sales came in August to employees...
John Voelcker -
At least in North America, ethanol is a contentious fuel. A decade ago, it was seen as a homegrown and carbon-neutral way to use less gasoline—and federal legislation mandated that increasing volumes be blended into U.S. fuel supplies. Much debate followed over using "food for fuel," its supposed carbon neutrality and the footprint of the agriculture required to produce it, its impact on older engines, and other issues. DON'T MISS: EPA proposes to add more ethanol blends to 'Flex Fuel' category But suppose it were possible to produce ethanol chemically, using as a feedstock a substance...
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Early Mercedes fuel-cell driver's 'sobering assessment' to industry
As the old saying goes, you can identify the pioneers by the arrows in their backs. Being an early adopter of new technologies can be exciting, but it can also require adaptations to fit into its limitations. Just ask David Wenger, one German proponent and driver of a Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-Cell...
John Voelcker -
Fiat Chrysler is last Detroit maker to convert cars to use E15
All Detroit automakers now say their cars can run on E15 ethanol.
Stephen Edelstein -
Why Isn't The 2016 Chevy Volt A Flex-Fuel Plug-In Hybrid That Can Use E85 Ethanol?
The 2016 Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid has received numerous accolades, including this site's Best Car To Buy 2016 Award. It's better-looking, quicker, quieter, and has a significantly longer all-electric range of 53 miles. It is not, however, certified to use E85, the fuel blend containing 85...
John Voelcker -
Diesel Fuel From Air: Neat Idea, Very Inefficient Use Of Energy
It sounds like an intriguing idea: Make diesel fuel from air rather than fossil-fuel petroleum. Better yet, make it from carbon dioxide--the greenhouse gas whose concentration in the atmosphere has risen precipitously since the dawn of the Industrial Age. Diesel fuel, after all, is a hydrocarbon...
John Voelcker -
Toyota Tackles Hydrogen Fueling Challenges As Mirai Launch Approaches: UPDATED
As this autumn's launch of the 2016 Toyota Mirai fuel-cell car approaches, its maker is taking steps to ensure that the small number of initial buyers and lessees will be able to fuel up their hydrogen-powered sedans with ease. Some of the 70 or so Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell SUV drivers in Southern...
John Voelcker