Alternative fuels: Is help on the way?
It would be hard to find someone who wouldn't support
the idea of cutting back U.S. dependence on imported oil.
Vehicles that run on alternative fuels, such as E85,
the mix of 15 percent gasoline and 85 percent ethanol, are currently
generating a lot of discussion.
But is it a matter of "cents" versus nonsense?
Buyers of alternative-fuel vehicles
can feel good about helping the environment,
encouraging technological development or even
feeding their need to own something that's
cutting edge.
But, dollar for dollar, none of the alternatives to
a gasoline-powered car or truck make economic or practical good
sense at this point.
| Whether talking
about hybrid gas-electric vehicles,
all-electric vehicles, or cars and
trucks that run on such fuels as
diesel, biodiesel, E85, methanol,
compressed natural gas, liquefied
natural gas and even hydrogen, the
real-world economics rarely trump
gasoline. |
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| Comparing alternative
fuels |
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To see how they stack up, here's a look at the pros
and cons of alternative fuels:
Gas-electric
hybrids
These vehicles are powered by internal combustion engines running
on either gasoline or diesel fuel and by electric motors powered
by batteries.
| Pros: |
| • |
They get better fuel mileage than
conventional gas-only vehicles and in some cases have fewer
tailpipe emissions. |
| • |
Depending on what model you buy,
there are tax incentives available, as well as carpool-lane
privileges. |
| Cons: |
| • |
The increase in fuel mileage often
isn't as great as advertised, and it can take as much as 120,000
miles of driving before the fuel-cost savings overcome the added
cost of a hybrid over a similar gas-only model. |
| • |
The costs to replace the battery
packs in a high-mileage hybrid could be very expensive. |
Electric-only
vehicles
These vehicles run on battery power only -- up to about 100 miles
per charge traveling at highway speeds.
| Pros: |
| • |
A big one: Zero tailpipe emissions.
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They can be recharged at home. |
| Cons: |
| • |
The distance they can travel before
needing to be recharged is extremely limited. |
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After a few such cars were made
years ago, major manufacturers abandoned them as not practical.
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| • |
The life of the battery packs remains
uncertain. |
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