Alternative Fuels.

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Alternative Fuels

We know fossils fuels are a finite resource, and burning them is harmful to the environment, yet we don’t want to give up our cars.  So what does the future hold?  The car has become so entrenched in our society that is unlikely to go away, but it will need to change dramatically to embrace new propulsion technology.

While fully electric cars offering performance equal to current cars are someway off petrol-hybrid cars like Toyota’s Prius, Honda’s Insight and new Civic Hybrid debut new thinking.  The principal behind them is, simply, the combination of a small efficient petrol engine and a powerful electric motor.  Combined they offer a impressive output with 60mpg+ easily achievable, the batteries for the electric motors cleverly store re-generated energy produced when the car brakes.

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In reality, modern ‘common-rail’ diesels have the edge over such hybrids.  More powerful and cheaper to produce, they are currently proving to be the most worthwhile ‘alternative fuel’ cars.  Common-rail technology has slashed diesel emissions, while returning excellent mpg.  Such direct-injection technology is slowly being introduced to petrol engines too, with similar enhancements in fuel economy and emissions.  Although the long-term future of the conventional petrol/diesel engine may be bleak, such efficiency gains limit their impact on

natural resources and the environment until replacement technology can be introduced.

Another route to fewer emissions is ...

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