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Guide to Ethanol Cars & Vehicles

E85 ethanol, an 85 percent blend of ethanol, is a renewable and can be produced domestically. Ethanol is comes from agricultural feedstocks. This fuel can reducing smog forming emissions about 50 percent relative to gasoline and also results in less pollution. Ethanol cars contribute to global warming, even though experts not agree about just how greenhouse gas is emitted by using ethanol.

Ethanol cars may be better for the American farmer and the environment, but E85 has some drawbacks.

Less Energy

Ethanol is less energy than gasoline. This means that your fuel economy will decrease about 20-30 percent and your car won’t go as far on a gallon of E85.

Lack of Availability

E85 is widely available only in the Midwest. The Department of Energy lists most of E85 ethanol infranstructure are in two states: Illinois and Minnesota. Other areas, have little E85 infrastructure.

Higher Price

Ethanol can be more expensive than gasoline, depending on where you live.

List of Ethanol Cars

Sort by:NameCombined
MPGsort icon
TypeMSRPAvailable
dodge-caravan-small.jpgDodge Caravan E8518 MPGVan$22,400Now
chevrolet-impala-small.jpgChevrolet Impala E8517 MPGSedan$22,400Now
chevy-malibu-hybrid-94.jpgChrysler Sebring E8516 MPGSedan$29,300Now
chevy-silverado-small.jpgChevrolet Silverado E8513 MPGPickup$29,400Now
f150-small.jpgFord F-150 E8511 MPGPickup$22,100Now
saab-bio-94.jpgSaab BioPower Hybridn/aSedann/aConce

Beside Ethanol Cars, there are other articles by Johan Young you may interest in reading: BMW City, Subaru Hybrid, Plug-In Hybrids, and Fuel Cell Cars.

Gas Power and Electric Power Combined

Gas Powered Vehicle

As the name implies, a gasoline powered vehicle uses a combustion engine as a source of power. It has a fuel tank that stores gas to the engine which drives the transmission and turns the wheels.

Pros

Through a single filled tank, a gas-powered vehicle can run more than a few time longer than an electric automobile.

A gallon of gas is much denser than batteries in terms of energy. For instance, 1 gallon of gas (7 pounds) produces the similar sum of power as 1000 pounds of batteries.

It can keep up with the traffic on the highway.

You have the widest vehicle options. From compact to full-size automobile, from pickup trucks to SUVs, from minivans to luxury automobiles, you can jump from one vehicle dealer to another and still get the best vehicle varieties.

gas and electric combine

gas and electric combined

You can also choose from different kinds and sizes of engines.

Cons

With the soaring prices of gaseum, getting a gas tank full is very expensive. Combustion engine wastes a lot of energy and consumes a lot of gas. It also produces pollutants that contribute to the depletion of the natural environment.

Electric Automobile

An electric vehicle has a battery that supply power to the electric motor, which then drives the transmission and turns the wheels.

Pros

Since it does not consume fuel, an electric vehicle emits no toxic fumes which are good news for the environment.

Although the battery pack is expensive, electric power is cheaper as compared to pump prices.

Cons

The battery can power the car short distances on a single charging.

Batteries of an electric car take several hours to charge.

Electric vehicles cannot store up with the traffic.

Its top speed is slower than gas autos.

Hybrid Vehicle – Problem resolved

Hybrid vehicles become the best of both engines. It uses both an electric motor and a combustion engine to push the automobile. That means that a hybrid can either run on an electric motor and use the advantages of an electric automobile, or run on a combustion engine and use the edge of a gas powered vehicle. Or, it can run on both at the same time. Depending on the variety of hybrid car, you can have the best fuel efficiency with a performance similar or even better than its non-hybrid counterpart.

The Concepts of Electric Automobiles

By: Johan Young

The concepts of electric and hybrid vehicles have been around for a long time, even before the invention of the gasoline engine.  Few moving parts and simpler technology gave the electric automobiles a head start.  And issues with the electric automobiles technology provided opportunity for hybrid technologies to make improvements.  However, the development of the internal combustion engine revolutionized modern transportation as it is today.  Now with the rise of health-threatening pollutants caused by gasoline powered engines, new age electric and hybrid vehicles are now truly becoming a reality.  And Hybrid automobiles are getting more and more popular.  Because of their growing popularity, car manufacturers are competing for the “green car” market with the winners surviving in the new economy.

electric automobiles

electric automobiles

When Electric Automobiles Ruled the World

Robert Anderson of Scotland created the first electric car during the 1830s.  Professor Stratingh of Groningen from Holland designed a simple electric auto. It was Stratingh’s assistant,  Christopher Becker, who built the model in 1835. In 1842, Thomas Davenport from the United States and Robert Davidson from Scotland built more advanced electric vehicles using non-rechargeable electric cells.  Gaston Plante from France improved the storage battery and created a better model in 1865. Sixteen years later, improvements in the storage battery were made by Camille Faure.  During late 1800, several European countries such as England and France began distribution of electricity all the while the electric vehicle was being innovated for better design and performance.  The United States followed with the creation of electric tricycles.

At the turn of the century, electric automobiles were selling better than their gasoline engine counterparts due to less vibration, noise and pollutants.  In 1916, Woods invented the first hybrid consisting of an electric motor and combustion engine.  The cost of electric vehicles were quite expensive so that only those belonging to the upper class were able to afford them.  Price would reach $ 2000 to $ 3000 depending on the interior and the materials used. Production peak for electric vehicles were from 1910 to 1912.  During the 1920s, road systems were significantly improved so people needed vehicles that traveled farther than electric automobiles.  The price of gasoline also decreased making it more affordable for everyone. Charles Kettering invented the electric starter for gasoline cars taking away the tedious hand crank.  Henry Ford and the idea of mass production continued to put pressure on sales of electric automobiles. Gasoline cars at this point were only about one-third the price of an electric vehicle.

Check out my other pages on Hybrid Suv, fuel efficient car, and compare hybrid.


Air Cars: Real or Fiction?

Jules Verne, visionary writer from French (19th century), had described the future of a fantastic world, marked by a moving car in the air (flying). He may not be entirely mistaken.

Guy Negre, a former engineer in Formula One who is now working in the European Motor Development International Corporation or MDI Corporation, an environmental acti

vist who has enthusiasm for the development of cars, has developed a car that is driven by air power.

Indeed, the creation Negre car can not move in the air, as Jules illusion, but at least be able to use air as a source of fuel. After some study and speculation he figured out a way to use compressed air to power a vehicle. He arranged it so that the air could be used in order to drive the pistons in a

modified engine. The air is actually warmed in order to create better efficiency.

mini cat

mini cat

Scientists have been studying multiple ways to power a car as an alternative to petrol. This is just one of the many ways that actually worked and seems to be a real possibility. The air car, also known as the Mini-CAT or City Cat, can be refueled in minutes from an air compressor at specially equipped gas stations.

Empty tank can be filled back in the place where only the special time in three minutes. Charging can also be done at home using your own compressor that is available in the car. Only with connect to electricity, tank will filled within four hours. More over the refill of its carbon fiber cylinder with 340 liters of air at 4350 PSI should not cost more then a twitter $2 for these air powered cars, and this car can reach up to 120 miles for an estimated $2 tank fill.

The car features a fiberglass body and a revolutionary electrical system and is completely computer-controlled. It is powered by the expansion of compressed air, using no combustion at all, and the exhaust is entirely clean and cool enough for use in the internal air conditioning system.

The air car body made of a lightweight base material to make some person pessimistic with the security of this car. They doubting with the strength of their body, especially Mini-CAT security standards are still under security standards in the United States. Despite that, India TATA Motor (Tata Motors is India’s largest automobile company which the first company from India’s engineering sector to be listed in the New York Stock Exchange (September 2004)) working with the MDI remains optimistic and plans will be mass producing this car in the 2009/2010.

Editor’s Note: MDI has been promising Air Cars since the year 2000 and we have not seen anything real yet.

Another articles by Johan Young you may be interested in reading:

>>> Gas Power and Electric Power Combined.

Here’s the official and premier site of gas power and electric power combined. Get gas power and electric power combined tips, tricks, and guide, absolutely free!

>>> A Brief Guide to Hybrid Vehicles

Search and Reviews about a brief guide to hybrid cars. Read up the info about a brief guide to hybrid cars. Do not spend any money for a brief guide to hybrid cars until you read this!

>>> New Hybrid Vehicles

Found this website about new hybrid vehicles on a bulletin board.  If you’re interested in new hybrid vehicles,  has sites related to new hybrid vehicles you can access from here.

>>> Hybrid Electric Vehicle Types

Everything that you would hope to find on a website about hybrid electric vehicle types. Learn about hybrid electric vehicle types here for free!

>>> What is a Hybrid Vehicle

Read all about what is a hybrid vehicle.  Lots of useful and interesting information about what is a hybrid vehicle. All FREE!

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