There has been a recent surge in the creation and purchasing of eco friendly cars in the United States and around the world, and for good reason. Eco friendly, or green, vehicles offer a lot of attractive benefits. They are often cheaper to drive, entitle you to tax benefits, and emit less greenhouse gases into the environment, to name a few. The demand for eco-friendly cars in the used car market has risen dramatically in the last few years. There are several types of eco friendly cars available on the market today, each having a unique set of characteristics and advantages.
Hybrid
Hybrid vehicles are some of the most popular types of green vehicles on the market. Nearly 7 million hybrids are on the road around the world today. Hybrid engines are a cross between a conventional internal combustion engine and an electric engine. Gasoline is used to power the combustion engine to propel the car forward. When the brakes are applied, the car’s wheels are linked to an electric generator which captures the energy of the turning motion. This energy is then stored in batteries for later use. This stored energy is used to assist the combustion engine in low-speed, uphill, and accelerating situations which helps to improve gas mileage. Some hybrid vehicles only utilize the electric engine while the car is driving in low speeds, when the combustion engine is least efficient. Another eco friendly feature of hybrid cars is the idle-off engine capability. The combustion engine turns off automatically when the brake is applied and switches back on the instant the foot is lifted from the brake. This reduces gas waste and improves gas mileage. Some popular makes and models of this type of car are the Toyota Prius, Ford Fusion Hybrid, Kia Optima Hybrid and Honda Civic Hybrid.
Electric
Many car manufacturers are harnessing the power of electricity in their eco friendly cars. Instead of an internal combustion engine or a synthesis of a combustion engine with an electric engine, these cars run solely on electricity and have only one electric engine. They require no gasoline or other fuel source. Because they do not burn fuel in any way, they are extremely quiet vehicles. Many makes of electric cars are recharged though wall sockets in the same way that cell phones, laptops and cameras are recharged. They are also recharged through regenerative braking, or the process of retaining and storing energy put out when brakes are applied. One battery charge typically powers the car for an average of 100 miles. These types of vehicles are very eco friendly. They release considerably less greenhouse gases and essentially no tailpipe pollutants into the environment. Some popular makes and models of electric cars available in the United States are the Nissan Leaf, Ford Focus Electric and Chevrolet Volt.
Bio Diesel
Many cars are now able to efficiently run on bio diesel fuel. Bio diesel is a renewable, clean-burning, alternative fuel source. It is made from a variety of cooking oils, agricultural oils and animal fat and is available in several different blends. This type of fuel source is non-toxic, biodegradable and sulfur-free. It has also been shown to emit significantly fewer unburned hydrocarbons and less carbon dioxide than traditional diesel fuel, making bio diesel very environmentally friendly. Cars and trucks that currently run on traditional diesel fuel can also run on bio diesel with little or no modification. Bio diesel can also be blended in any proportion with traditional diesel.
Ethanol
Ethanol is another environmentally friendly fuel source. It is produced from corn, sugar cane, potatoes, wheat or barley, making the fuel a renewable resource. Ethanol fuel is a clean-burning fuel, releasing much less emissions than vehicles that burn gasoline. It is often used as an additive mixed with traditional gasoline fuel, but some cars can run on fuel blends with high ethanol concentrations or on ethanol alone. There are many types of vehicles that accept high concentration ethanol fuel blends including any vehicle with a “flexible fuel” classification. Approximately 50% of all cars manufactured in the United States today are classified as “flexible fuel” vehicles. Chevrolet, Ford, and Dodge, for example, sell several models of flexible fuel vehicles. People who purchase a flexible fuel vehicle qualify themselves for a substantial tax credit, which adds to the value of owning this type of car.
Conclusion
With so many attractive and efficient characteristics, green cars are becoming very popular vehicle choices today. Some offer an innovative, efficient type of engine while others are engineered to run on environmentally responsible fuels. Whatever the option, green cars are likely to get better gas mileage and emit fewer pollutants.