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Alternative fuels: Is help on the way?
Compressed natural
gas, or CNG
This fuel is just like the natural gas you use to cook or heat your
home but compressed into high-pressure fuel cylinders.
| Pros: |
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Made largely from methane, it's
not derived from oil. |
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It burns cleaner than gasoline.
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Home refueling from your natural
gas line is possible. |
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Your current car can be converted
to run on CNG, but at a significant cost. |
| Cons: |
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Few manufacturers make vehicles
that will run on it. |
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The Honda Civic GX, which does run
on CNG, costs about $3,500 more than a comparable gas-only Civic.
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Refueling stations not widely available,
and home refueling can take hours. |
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Fuel mileage is less than with gasoline.
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Liquified natural
gas, or LNG
This fuel is natural gas turned into a liquid by refrigerating it
to minus 260 degrees Fahrenheit.
| Pros: |
| • |
LNG is made from natural gas, and
like CNG, it burns cleaner than gasoline. |
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Propane refueling stations, while
not nearly as prevalent as gas stations, are available in many
areas. |
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Your current car can be converted
to run on LNG, but it's costly. |
| Cons: |
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Few manufacturers make vehicles
that run on it. |
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Unlike CNG, an LNG car can't be
refueled from the home gas line. |
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Fuel mileage is less than with gasoline. |
Hydrogen
Earth's most common element, hydrogen (or hydrogen-rich fuel) can
be used -- along with oxygen -- in a device called a "fuel
cell" to create electricity.
| Pros: |
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It's the ultimate
clean fuel, producing only water vapor. |
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It can be made
from a wide variety of natural elements. |
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It can be used
to make electricity to run cars through a fuel cell, or fuel
an internal combustion engine. |
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Manufacturers
say it's the fuel of the future. |
| Cons: |
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Except for some
experimental vehicles and some hobbyist applications, there
are no vehicles yet available that run on hydrogen. |
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There are potential
problems with delivery of the fuel. |
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It
may take more energy to produce hydrogen than gasoline. |
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Costs and eventual
fuel mileage are unknown. |
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