| Fuel |
Pros |
Cons |
| Gasoline |
Widely
available |
Escalating
costs. Harmful emissions. Heavily dependent upon imported
oil. |
| Diesel |
Widely
available |
Escalating
costs. More toxic than gasoline. Heavily dependent upon
imported oil. |
| Biodiesel |
Domestically produced fuel manufactured from a range of vegetable oils and animal fats. Can be used in diesel engines—typically used as a blend, such as B20 [20% biodiesel and 80% petroleum biodiesel]. |
Increases NOx emissions. Displaces some petroleum, but still heavily dependent upon imported oil. |
Natural
gas
(CNG, LNG and Biogas) |
Domestically produced—not dependant upon foreign oil. Abundant supply. One of the cleanest-burning alternative fuels available. Produces significantly lower amounts of emissions, pollutants and greenhouse gases. Entirely renewable in the form of biomethane/biogas. |
National fueling infrastructure requires development. |
| Electricity |
No
tailpipe emissions. Lower maintenance costs than gasoline-powered vehicles. |
Very
expensive. Battery storage technology
requires further development. |
| Hybrid
gas/electric |
Effective
near-term solution for light-duty vehicles. Gasoline engine
combined with batteries/electric motor increases MPG, reducing some fuel consumption and emissions. |
Experimental for heavy-duty vehicles. Gasoline used subject to escalating costs and dependence upon foreign oil. Harmful emissions from gasoline. |
| Ethanol |
Domestically produced—reduces dependence upon foreign oil. Alcohol-based liquid fuel derived from plant biomass, primarily corn. Typically used in Flex Fuel vehicles as a blend of E85 [85% ethanol and 15% gasoline]. |
Requires massive use of cropland to supply meaningful power. Has less energy per gallon than gasoline. |
Propane
(Liquefied Petroleum Gas or LPG) |
Produced
from natural gas processing and crude oil refining. |
Production
limited. Inefficient use of feedstock. Heavier than air,
dangerous to use. Costs prone to seasonal price fluctuation.
Niche market in rural areas. |
| Hydrogen |
Would
address concerns about energy security, global climate
change and air quality. |
Hydrogen-fueled
vehicle development and fuel processing technology just
getting underway. |
