Perfect Alternative Gas for Your Future

AutomobileBy Kaitlin Kitchens

Honda FCX Clarity The technology that runs this car is

Hydrogen (H2). It can be used in fuel cells or burned in internal combustion engines.

Advantages of Hydrogen based cars would be that is environmentally friendly & Hydrogen can be produced domestically. We wouldn’t have to be economically dependent on other countries.

The infrastructure needed would be a hydrogen pipeline transport that is a transportation of Hydrogen through a pipe.Hydrogen stations would also be mandatory to fill up the car.

The disadvantage to turning to this fuel would be that it is more expensive, it is only available in some places, and it contains much less energy than gasoline does.

IRL Car

• IRL cars run on 100% ethanol which can be produced by corn., trees, and grasses.

• Advantages of ethanol based cars is that it does not make us economically dependent on foreign countries, it lowers air pollution, & the added vehicle cost is very small.

• The infrastructure needed would be E85, an ethanol blend containing 51%- 83% ethanol. We would also need flex-fuel vehicles. We would also need E85 fuel pumps.

• The disadvantages would be that it can only be used in flex-fuel cars, there is limited available, they are expensive, & they get fewer miles to the gallon.

Some Police Vehicles

• Some police vehicles are powered by Propane or LPG, which is a fossil fuel

with less pollution than gasoline.

• Advantages of Propane based cars would be that it is found in the US, it is cheaper, & potentially less polluting.

• The infrastructure needed would include having propane brought to a refueling

site. The fueling dispenser is similar to a gasoline dispenser, so it would be easy

to use.

• The disadvantages include that propane ran vehicles are limited, it is less available than gasoline, & less

miles to the gallon.

Honda Civic 2012

• The 2012 Honda Civic is run on Natural Gas which is a fossil fuel made up of majority methane.

• Advantages of Natural Gas based cars would be that the US has a large supply of natural gases, it is less polluting, & it’s less expensive.

• The infrastructure needed would be CNG & LNG which would both need fueling systems

• Disadvantages include limited vehicles, natural gas isn’t as available as gasoline, and it’s fewer miles to the gallon.

What role will the government need to play in order to help the market structure make any of

these vehicles a reality?

Because most of these alternative fuels are more expensive, the elasticity may be a problem. People may start taking different transportation services if the price goes up too high, so the government would have to take that into consideration, (the law of demand).

The role the government would have to play is providing the proper infrastructure to each fueling station, which could be very costly, however the marginal utility may increase due to putting in one more fueling device and coming out with more profit.

The government would also have to give a large sum of supply of the alternative fueling to each fueling station because people will expect just as much as gasoline.

The government would also have to communicate with other car companies and make sure their cars are capable of using the alternative fuel. It’s a lot of effort!

I would drive a Honda Civic 2012

I would drive this car because,

a. It has been proven to be a sufficient car to drive

b. Natural gas is widely available in the US so it is a reliable fuel.

c. Honda Civics are pretty inexpensive, so I would be able to finance it monthly.

sources

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/bifueltech.shtml

http://www.afdc.energy.gov/fuels/natural_gas_infrastructure.html

http://www.afdc.energy.gov/fuels/propane_infrastructure.html

http://video.pbs.org/video/980048834/