Types of Green Vehicles
Green vehicles refer to vehicles with low or no emission of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.
The different types of green vehicles are mostly ones that use alternative energy sources either wholly or partly instead of the fossil fuel. Alternative energy refers to non-petroleum products such as electricity, alcohol, biodiesel, hydrogen, liquefied natural gas and petroleum gas, liquids made from coal and compressed natural gas. There are electric vehicles that mostly use less fuel. They are considered to be more efficient in comparison to fuel-cell powered vehicles. However, fuel-cell powered vehicles are more popular since they consume less petrol making them cheaper to manage. They emit less carbon dioxide in to the air as compared to the convectional ones and the rates stand at 55% against 99.9%. This makes them ideal especially in this era of global warming when cutting down on carbon dioxide emissions is vital.
There are also hybrid vehicles which are expensive to buy but very ideal as they cut down on fuel consumption. They partly run on electricity, hydrogen and fossil fuel. In a bid to promote the green vehicles technology, rallies such as the solar powered cars are organized. They partly run on electricity generated from the sun. The other type is compressed-air vehicles and compressed air car. Convectional vehicles can be improved by mixing renewable fuels thereby making them greener and environment friendlier. Cars that run strictly on ethanol have also been made. The vehicles that use diesel have been improved to run on biodiesel all in an effort to reduce the negative effects dangerous fumes pose on the environment. Biofuels however use food resources and this has led to increased pricing of foods like maize. People are advised to generate biofuel from waste products algae which is a new source.
The other group of vehicles is known as ‘personal rapid transport’ which has a potential of using electricity and the other renewable sources. Their potentiality is unique hence it is being banked on as the future green vehicles. The green vehicles save on fuel as compared to the convectional ones. The carbon dioxide and other gases emissions are less and the costs of maintenance are low. However, it is expensive to manufacture the green house vehicles. From the current innovation on these vehicles, one can only sit and wonder how the future cars will look like and what benefits they will bring along.
It is advantageous to use green vehicles in that emission of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane, also known as ‘green house gases’ is reduced thereby reducing the effects of global warming. People’s health has improved since these emissions are also known to cause cardiopulmonary and respiratory diseases as well as lung cancer which lead to early deaths. People have also been able to save on fuel and general maintenance of the vehicles. Green vehicles have also led to emergence of competitions that win participators money. Among them is the automotive x prize which entails manufacture of environment friendly vehicles thereby enhancing innovation. These vehicles are exhibited at the green vehicle motor shows and this also earns the organizers an income.