Alternative fuel vehicle Facts for Kids

Alternative fuel vehicles are special cars, trucks, and buses that use energy sources other than regular gasoline or diesel. These regular fuels come from petroleum (oil). Using alternative fuels means we don't have to buy as much oil from other countries. This helps keep money in our own country.

Many of these alternative fuels also come from renewable sources. This means they can be replaced naturally. Plus, many of them create less pollution than traditional fuels. This helps keep our air cleaner.

There are many different kinds of alternative fuel vehicles. They use various types of engines and motors.

Electric Vehicles: Power from Batteries
Natural Gas Vehicles: Cleaner Burning Fuel
Biodiesel Vehicles: Fuel from Plants
Ethanol Vehicles: Alcohol as Fuel
Hydrogen Cars: Fuel Cell Power
Other Alternative Fuel Vehicles
Images for kids
See also

Electric Vehicles: Power from Batteries

The Tesla Model 3 is a very popular all-electric car.

The General Motors EV1 was an early electric car.

The Nissan Leaf was a top-selling electric car for many years.

The Toyota Prius is the world's best-selling hybrid electric vehicle.

Electric vehicles run on electricity stored in batteries. They don't produce any pollution directly from the car itself. This is great for the air in cities. However, the electricity they use might be made at power plants. These plants can sometimes create pollution, depending on how they generate power.

Natural Gas Vehicles: Cleaner Burning Fuel

Buses powered by CNG are common in the United States.

Natural gas vehicles use natural gas as fuel. Natural gas is a fossil fuel, like oil. But it burns much cleaner than gasoline. This means it releases fewer harmful gases into the air. There is also a lot more natural gas available than petroleum.

Biodiesel Vehicles: Fuel from Plants

This bus runs on biodiesel made from soybeans.

A (B20) pump in the U.S.

Biodiesel vehicles use a type of diesel fuel made from plant oils. Sometimes it can even be made from animal fats. This makes it a biofuel. It's a way to use natural resources to power vehicles.

Ethanol Vehicles: Alcohol as Fuel

Brazil leads the world in flexible-fuel car sales.

The Ford Model T could run on gasoline or ethanol.

The 1996 Ford Taurus was an early flexible-fuel vehicle.

E85 fuel is sold at many regular gas stations.

Labels used in the US to show a car can use E85 fuel.

A E85 FlexFuel Chevrolet Impala.

The Honda CG 150 Titan Mix was the first flex-fuel motorcycle.

Ethanol is an alcohol that can be used as fuel. Often, ethanol is mixed with gasoline. Common mixes are E10 (10% ethanol) or E85 (85% ethanol). Some of the fastest race cars even use methanol and ethanol.

Hydrogen Cars: Fuel Cell Power

The 2009 Honda FCX Clarity is a hydrogen fuel cell car.

A hydrogen fueling station in California.

The General Motors Sequel is a hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicle.

The Hyundai ix35 FCEV was available for leasing in 2014.

The Toyota Mirai is one of the first hydrogen fuel-cell cars sold to the public.

Hydrogen cars are also called fuel cell vehicles (FCVs). These cars use hydrogen gas to create electricity in a fuel cell. This electricity then powers the car's motor. The only thing that comes out of the tailpipe is water vapor!

Other Alternative Fuel Vehicles

Compressed Air Vehicles: These vehicles use air that has been squeezed into a small space. When the air is released, it expands and powers the engine. This technology is still being developed.
Propane Vehicles: Propane (also called liquefied petroleum gas, or LPG) is another fuel used in some vehicles, especially buses and fleet vehicles.
Human Powered Vehicles: Don't forget about vehicles powered by people! This includes bicycles, rickshaws, and other two or three-wheeled human powered vehicles. They produce zero emissions.

Images for kids

The Peugeot 2008 HYbrid air prototype used a compressed air system.
The Nuna team at a racecourse.
The Nuna solar powered car can travel up to 140 km/h (84 mph).
Trev's battery can last over 250,000 kilometres.
BioDME synthesis towers at Chemrec's pilot facility.
An Ammoniacal Gas Engine Streetcar in New Orleans in 1871.
The X-15 aircraft used ammonia as part of its rocket engine fuel.
A propane-fueled school bus in the United States.
The Mars rover Curiosity is powered by radioisotope thermoelectric generators.
The Stanley Steamer car.
Wind powered vehicles used for fun.
A vehicle with a gasifier.