How To: Pick the Right Green Car
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 03.15.06
ABC News has published a very succinct, well-organized article that lays out the pros and cons of buying and owning one of the "big four" green car choices available today: hybrid, biodiesel, ethanol, compressed natural gas (with hydrogen thrown in for good measure). It's a good read for anyone still not sure about exactly how biodiesel works (that's right, no conversion needed!) or for anyone wondering what it would be like to have a car that required absolutely no petroleum (as with the natural gas; and here's a hint: kinda tricky). Each choice is broken down to be able to easily compare price, fuel availability and cost and relative selection of each kind of vehicle. It serves as both a "Sustainable Vehicles 101" and a decent refresher course for anyone who didn't know that there are carpool-lane perks for some of these cars. Check it out at ::ABC News via ::Digg
My favorite part: "Ethanol is a wheat-based fuel additive, based on corn, barley or wheat"
I think they should have mentioned that the lower cost of ethanol is offset by the lower resulting mileage:
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/byfuel/FFV2000.shtml
I still think that Hybrid cars are the best choice if you want to get something green. Mainly, because the types of technology used in hybrid cars are the types of technologies that are in great need of prefecting and refining in order to get hydrogen cars off the ground. Hydrogen cars beening the end all to our need for oil.
It will be interesting when people start combining the different methods, like a hybrid CNG Civic or a E85 Prius.
Can't CNG cars also be run on compressed bio gas?
Hardly "Sustainability 101" the article contains many inaccuracies. As a biodiesel user I'll point out just one: The author's definition of biodiesel is wrong.
"There is a lot of confusion about biodiesel, so here's the skinny: Biodiesel is a blend of traditional diesel (aka dino-diesel) and vegetable oil."
Thanks for adding to the confusion, Becky Worley. Biodiesel is primarily made from vegetable oil, but biodiesel is defined as: A process in which organically derived oils are combined with alcohol (ethanol or methanol) in the presence of a catalyst to form ethyl or methyl ester. Biodiesel is neither straight vegetable oil nor does it contain petroleum diesel (although the two may be blended in any ratio).
*sigh*
Notice the Ads for GM"s "GoGreen/Go Yellow" campaign all over that article and the suprising - or not - omissions of any real "Cons".
No mention of Ethanol's typically weak "Energy In To Create vs. Net Energy Out" ratio or of its questionable emissions figures.
Every time I heard somebody talking about Hydrogen, I hear the mantra in my head… “Hydrogen is NOT a fuel, it’s a storage medium”. The whole idea is a corporate diversion from making real progress with other methods of propulsion.
The information about biodiesel is not accurate. See biodieselamerica.org, localb100.com, and journeytoforever.com. You will find information about its application from sources not influenced by petroleum and automobile companies.
How about no car? Many millions get by just fine...
Which car price comparison site has green car to compare price for? For a typical price comparison shopping I use PriceComparison.com (http://www.PriceComparison.com).
Please offer your opinion.
Thanks
Zach
Its nice that there are alternatives that being produce by these automakers. Many of car buyers prefer hybrid cars, since it is more fuel-efficient. Well, whether your driving a hybrid or not, as long as your car is well-maintained, it is expected to perform better at any driving situation, run smoothly, get better mileage and last longer.