Types of Cars and thier fuels

[layman77]

1. Gasoline powered cars- Use refined oil to make gasoline. Chemical reaction between the gasoline and oxygen pushes the pistons. Their advantages are it's already been done for you, you need to just refine the oil. The disadvantages are oil is a non-renewable resource that we will eventually run out of, and it causes lots of pollution.

 

2. Biodiesel powered cars: gas can be derived/made from crops. And is less polluting than gasoline. But, we'd need a lot of space to grow the crops as well as well as chemically change it so it can be used as fuel.

 

3. Hydrogen powered: Uses a chemical reaction between hydrogen and Oxygen to propel the pistons. It would require us to electrolysize water which takes lots of energy to split, but it produces no pollution other than water. Unless you are using a zero emissions power plant, like hydroelectric, solar, or safe nuclear you'd be creating pollution to make the hydrogen. Also, what about other chemicals you could use to power a car? Could you use Ammonia or Methane? Say, if there was a system that could refine your excrement and take the methane out of it to put in your car? I'm guessing you wouldn't get enough to go very far though.

 

4. Compressed Air powered Vehicle: Uses compressed air to push the pistons, usually requires a large fuel tank though. I saw one today on a documentary. The car was mostly made of aluminum because it is lightweight. The engine could also be much smaller, and is only warm to the touch when the car is running

 

5. Electric- no emissions, runs silent, slow to charge. Same thing as with hydrogen, you'd need a clean power plant to make it.

 

6. Solar- uses solar panels to gather sunlight and make electricity. I've heard though that solar panels don't capture all the energy you get from the sun, only some of it, not sure what light spectrum they capture. That they are working on making more efficient ones. Could you have it so that it's always charging even when you aren't driving it. Maybe you could even have enough for your car to last through the night until the next day.

 

I thought of other types of hybrids too. What how would a solar/hydrogen hybrid work in terms of performance and gas mileage?

[Invicta]

Layman,

 

Are you just concerned with how many types there are or are you also considering the amount of energy it takes to produce them?

 

Ethanol - I've seen a Drag Bike powered by Apples.

 

Hybrid Car - By the time a well know model is produced from raw material through refinement onward to manufacture and delivery to dealerships it has done quiet a lot of damage before it is even driven.

 

Associated.

I have a 30 year old 4x4 "Jeep" which I am comfortable with as it has does high miles per gallon and has not had to be scrapped/replaced (so far).

In 30 years I estimate I would have switched vehicles at least 5 times.

 

 

HTH

B

[big314mp]

You can throw in other reaction mechanisms also, such as fuel cells for hydrogen, and turbines for all combustible fuels.