Alternative fuel vehicles are automobiles that are powered by fuels other than gasoline. There are many alternatives that are now being used and tested in order to decrease our dependency on fossil fuels. Some examples of alternative fuel vehicles include:

Hybrid – Hybrid vehicles are powered by both a combustion engine and an electric motor. Advanced technologies for hybrids include regenerative braking, assisted power generated by the electric motor, and the process of powering down when idling. Hybrid cars are one of the most popular alternative vehicles on the market now.

Electric – These vehicles use an electric motor and electric controls instead of the internal combustion engine. Some advantages to the electric vehicle include very low maintenance and zero emissions. Electric cars also do not give off as much noise pollution as a normal car. Some disadvantages include limited travel distance before having to recharge and slow acceleration.

Hydrogen – Hydrogen vehicles convert hydrogen to power through either a modified version of the internal combustion engine, currently available on the market today, or via hydrogen fuel cells which are still in development. Some obstacles in the development of hydrogen fuel cells is cost, fragility of the cell itself and poor performance in freezing temperatures.

CNG (Compressed Natural Gas)- CNG vehicles run on compressed natural gas as opposed to gasoline. This kind of vehicle is more environmentally friendly than a gasoline vehicle, and when compared to all the other alternative methods, is the safest. One complaint of CNG vehicle owners is the large fuel tank compared to that of conventional gasoline tanks, which limits trunk space.

Ethanol (e85)- E85 vehicles are powered by ethanol, a fuel made from corn and other natural products. These vehicles release no fossil based carbon dioxide. One disadvantage of this type of fueled vehicle is that it is can be very difficult to start in cold weather. However, there are cold conversion kits on the market now that can eliminate this problem. Some people have simply added a couple gallons of gasoline to the tank prior to the cold season to eliminate the problem as well.

Propane – Propane vehicles are powered by propane fuel instead of gasoline. These vehicles are up to thirty percent less expensive than conventional gasoline vehicles to operate. Propane was approved by the 1990 Clean Air Act as an alternative fuel, and vehicles powered by propane produce thirty to ninety percent less carbon monoxide than gasoline engines.

Biodiesel – Vehicles that are powered by biodiesel are very similar to diesel vehicles in operation except for the fuel itself. Biodiesel vehicles can run on a combination of natural oil and an alcohol such as ethanol or methanol or exclusively on waste vegetable oil, from restaurant fryers or other food industries.

Limited petroleum sources and rising gasoline prices and consumer demand will encourage vehicle manufacturers to produce and develop alternative fuel vehicles. These vehicles, in the long run, will reduce transportation costs as well as benefit the environment.

Vehicles powered by option fuels are getting more popular every day. Alternative fuel has many advantages: it is cleaner, less harmful to the planet and often less expensive than regular gasoline. Unfortunately only a few special cars will run on these fuels as they require a special engine.

The good news is that all big car companies are coming out with their own cars that run on option fuels. These vehicles, called Alternative Fuel Vehicles of AFVs, are designed to run either just on these new fuels or on a combination of regular gasoline and option fuels (the so called “hybrid” cars).

Some popular option fuel vehicles include:

Honda Insight

Dodge Stratus Sedan

Dodge Durango SUV

Chevrolet Silverado 4 x 2

Chevrolet Tahoe SUV

Chevy Yukon SUV

Nissan Titan Pickup

These are only some of the many AFVs available, with more coming out every day. Car manufacturers realize that consumers want these more environmentally friendly cars. This is why they are producing so many of them these days. Unfortunately option fuel vehicles are still quite expensive when compared to regular cars. You will usually have to pay about $3000 to $10,000 more.

Some US states offer special tax incentives for option fuel vehicles, which can make up somewhat for this higher cost. States such as California and Texas also offer special commuting exemptions to owners of option fuel vehicles.

Alternative fuel vehicles really are the wave of the future and offer many benefits. They are still a bit expensive, but for those who can afford them they are well worth the price.

Many people begin the process of purchasing alternative fuel vehicles and make so many mistakes that they end up quitting halfway through or buying the wrong vehicle. The worst part is that those who make mistakes blame alternative fuel vehicles of being unsuitable and expensive. If you want to make sure that this is the right choice for you, know that this might be easily determined. Only after knowing if you’re the type of person who should buy alternative powered vehicles or not should you open your wallet. Check out the following factors that you should consider when buying alternative powered vehicles.

Consider Your Location

If the nearest gas station is situated many miles from your home and office, chances are high that there would be no access to other fuel depots. In such a scenario, buying a vehicle that runs on alternative fuel would be a crazy decision. On the other hand, if you’re living in an urban area where there’s improved awareness about alternative powered vehicles and access to numerous facilities for refueling the vehicle, buying such a car or truck would turn out to be a smart move.

Repair and Maintenance Options

The second factor that you should consider is the cost of maintaining the car and the facilities available for it. If you have numerous options for refueling, it doesn’t necessarily mean that there are also car shops that can repair or help with the maintenance of your alternative powered or hybrid car. As an example, if you had to send a faulty part of your car thousands of miles away in order to get it repaired, then you can’t really rely on alternative fuel vehicles at all. On the other hand, if you have good quality and reputed firms working for not only building but also maintaining such vehicles, then you could easily consider buying one and get the best benefits that come with such a vehicle.

Getting What You Pay For

Do not deal in absolute values when comparing the cost of alternative fuel vehicles performance with that of standard vehicles. If you have to compromise on reliability when you purchase such vehicles, then you may end up spending a lot more on taxi or public transport when your vehicle is not functioning. In this case, rather than saving money by choosing inexpensive but unreliable vehicles, you could spend more and get good quality vehicles made by reputed companies or even take it upon yourself to transform your car into a car that runs on other fuels.

Think About Sustainability

Another thing you should check is whether the alternative fuel used by the vehicle is sustainable or not. Ethanol was marketed as one of theses fuels in recent times, but its popularity fell after many farmers started selling corn for fuel generation purposes and this led to shortage of corn in the country. There is no point in trading one problem for another. Options like sun or wind energy are truly sustainable. Options like ethanol are not sustainable yet.

You have the option of either purchasing a brand new car or converting your existing vehicle to run on alternative fuel. Creating alternative fuel vehicles is not as difficult as you may think and there are numerous online resources available. If you’re looking to put your car through this transition, then know that guides that’ll help you convert any kind of vehicle into alternative fuel vehicles without any difficulty what-so-ever.