Transportation
Alternative Transportation And Information
- Man Power
- Public Transportation
- Car Pool
- Internal Combustion Engine (ICE)
- Electric Cars
- Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV)
- Hydrogen Vehicles
- Alternative Fuels
Man Power
Walk, Jog, Run or Bike
Walking, Jogging, Running or Biking
Still the healthiest and most Ecologically friendly form of transportation. Time, distance and physical limitations may hinder a person’s ability to participate in this kind of travel and is, therefore, not for everyone. However, if you feel this is an alternative you can partake in, be sure to plan ahead. Consider any obstacles you may face along your way and allow for plenty of time to arrive at your intended designation. One step at a time!
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Public Transportation
Trains, Busses and Cabs
These alternatives are a great way to save money while also avoiding the hassles of driving and parking. All related industries have made efforts to go green.
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Car Pool
Great way to save money and the enviroment
This is not only a great way to save money, but also the environment. Many companies and local area associations offer schedules and tips to help promote car-pooling.
For more information, please check out www.erideshare.com
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Internal Combustion Engine (ICE)
Gasoline and Diesel
The ICE is the most common form of delivering power to our vehicles through the use of gasoline (both unleaded and diesel). We have yet to eliminate our dependence on fossil fuels to power our autos, despite major environmentally friendly advances in the past decade. This particular issue deserves global attention to further advance the effectiveness of alternative methods. The ICE offers a balance of reliability, performance, and ease of use. All other alternative technologies lack at least one of these key points that most consumers demand. We, as consumers, need to start doing our part and considering what it is we truly need in a vehicle, instead of focusing on what we want.
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Electric Car
Where is it???
Electric motor technology has been around for years; trains have been using this technology since the end of the steam engine era. Frustratingly, consumer demands and expectations of what a vehicle should do exceed the capabilities of current electric car technology. For instance, time and the distance it is able to travel is limited due to the energy storage systems. Its inability to consistently perform as effectively as the ICE and Hybrid models make it unlikely that we will utilize this technology in the form of mass production anytime soon, even considering its extreme advantages over the ICE when it comes to the environment.
Click the links below to find out more about electric-powered vehicles in production.
Stanford University History of Electric Vehicles
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Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV)
What exactly is a Hybrid?
Hybrids are popping up everywhere lately it seems. A hybrid is an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) combined with a rechargeable energy storage system (RESS).
Because the reliability of a battery operated automobile is still in question, the hybrid is a much closer alternative to a greener world than a straight ICE. When driving in stop and go traffic, the RESS does most of the work. When cruising down the highway, it is the ICE that does the work. The RESS gets a recharge from braking or while the ICE is running. This fine-tuned balance is a very effective alternative, as it saves tremendous amounts of harmful emissions, however, it still does not solve our dependence on fossil fuels.
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Hydrogen Vehicles
What is a hydrogen vehicle?
A hydrogen vehicle consists of an ICE with Hydrogen and Fuel Cells.
The ICE burns Hydrogen in the same process as the gasoline, just in a much cleaner and eco-friendly manner than fossil fuel. In theory, this is a great idea/alternative, but some major modifications need to be made to a vehicle in order to use Hydrogen in an ICE automobile. A fuel cell converts Hydrogen into electricity and water through an electrochemical reaction with oxygen. This electricity is used to run electric motors and move the vehicle. The drawback is where and how to get the hydrogen. Refueling stations are not common, and to produce the Hydrogen, natural gas or fossil fuels are used as the catalyst that releases greenhouse gasses in to the atmosphere.
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Alternative Fuels
Biodiesel
What is a hydrogen vehicle?
A hydrogen vehicle consists of an ICE with Hydrogen and Fuel Cells.
The ICE burns Hydrogen in the same process as the gasoline, just in a much cleaner and eco-friendly manner than fossil fuel. In theory, this is a great idea/alternative, but some major modifications need to be made to a vehicle in order to use Hydrogen in an ICE automobile. A fuel cell converts Hydrogen into electricity and water through an electrochemical reaction with oxygen. This electricity is used to run electric motors and move the vehicle. The drawback is where and how to get the hydrogen. Refueling stations are not common, and to produce the Hydrogen, natural gas or fossil fuels are used as the catalyst that releases greenhouse gasses in to the atmosphere.
Ethanol and Methanol (aka:Gasahol)
Ethanol and Methanol are clean burning, highly combustible grain alcohols. Cars using Methanol need to have modified fuel systems in order to work properly and it is highly unlikely to see widespread use due to its temperamental operating requirements.
Ethanol is gaining acceptance as a gasoline additive replacement and as an octane booster. Ambient temperatures affect how the methanol performs and it needs to be mixed with gasoline to become a reliable fuel source. Almost all cars can run an E5 to E10 mixture without having any modifications made to the vehicle. Most manufactures do not recommend using a mixture above E15.
- The E rating
- E5= 5% Ethanol and 95% Gasoline
- E10= 10% Ethanol and 90% Gasoline
- E15= 15% Ethanol and 85% Gasoline
The E is always the percetage of Ethanol in the gasoline and any ICE can be modified to run on up to E100.
Natural Gas
Zambonis and Hi-Lo’s (forklift) are powered by natural gas. Natural gas is used on vehicles that run indoors due to their low emissions.
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