Consider an Alternative Vehicle
Consider an Alternative Vehicle

It is not necessary to use oil to fuel your car. Driving an alternative fuel vehicle (AFV) has many fuel-security, economic, health, and environmental benefits.

The costs of a vehicle go far beyond the purchase price and the cost of maintenance and fueling. The toll that cars and trucks take on fuel security, our health, and environment are often hidden, but are very real. One way to address these costs is to choose a vehicle that displaces gasoline and diesel fuel altogether or partly by using another non-petroleum fuel or technology. A number of cleaner, alternative fuels are becoming increasingly accessible to consumers and AFVs come in a variety of types and models. Not only do alternative fuels displace oil and burn cleaner, many cost less and with some you can even fuel up at home.

DID YOUR KNOW?

  • Driving a car is the single most polluting thing that most of us do.
  • In many urban areas, motor vehicles are the single largest contributor to ground-level ozone, a major component of smog.
  • Children living within 250 yards of streets or highways with 20,000 vehicles per day are six times more likely to develop all types of cancer and eight times more likely to get leukemia.
  • Infants born to women living near high traffic areas in Los Angeles County had a 10-20% increase in the risk of premature birth and low birth weight.
  • Electric motors convert 75% of the chemical energy from the batteries to power the wheels, whereas internal combustion engines only convert 20% of the energy stored in gasoline.
  • Smog-producing gases from natural gas vehicles, such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides, are reduced by more than 90% and 60%, respectively and carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, is reduced by 30%-40% than that from gasoline-powered vehicles.
  • Neat biodiesel (100% biodiesel) reduces carbon dioxide emissions by more than 75% over petroleum diesel. Using a blend of 20% biodiesel reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 15%.
  • Ethanol can be domestically produced from corn and sugar and by using it we can reduce the use of imported petroleum.
  • Gasoline-electric hybrids (HEVs) purchased or placed into service after December 31, 2005 may be eligible for a federal income tax credit of up to $3,400.
  • Buyers of new, light-duty AFVs can receive a tax credit of up to $5,000.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

  • If you are purchasing a vehicle, purchase an AFV or high-mileage gasoline-electric hybrid.
  • Convert your existing vehicle to an AFV or your hybrid to a plug-in.
  • If you have a gasoline-powered full-sized car, SUV, or pick-up truck, it can likely run on ethanol. Check you manual and, if so, use as much ethanol as possible.
  • If you have a diesel vehicle, use biodiesel.

RESOURCES