What's the catch?

In the wake of record high gasoline prices in 2008, the automakers will introduce more hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles in 2009 than any other year. Before jumping on the bandwagon, know the pros and cons.

Gas/Electric Hybrids

Hybrids have gasoline engines with electric motors. The electric motors take over during city driving, allowing the gasoline engine to run less. Select hybrids also turn off cylinders not in use to reduce fuel consumption. Less gasoline is a definite pro.

Another pro is the limited carbon emissions. By burning less gasoline, the vehicles produce far less carbon dioxide than gasoline-only vehicles.

Cons include failure to meet mileage expectations and a very large price tag at the dealer. This is a double whammy: You will pay more for the car thinking it will save more money on gas, only to find out you are spending more on gasoline than originally promised.

Diesels

Diesels have gotten a "dirty" reputation from their European makers failure to met US emissions standards. As of 2008, diesels only represented four per cent of the cars on American roads. "Why?" is a good question. They routinely get 25 to 35 per cent better mileage than gasoline vehicles.

European auto manufacturers have successfully met the US emission standards. Research into bio-fuels are now producing diesel from plant and crop based oils. Researchers say they are only a few years from a bio-diesel using chicken fat. Be on the look out for more diesel cars.

Ethanol

Many models are designed to run on ethanol blended gasoline, since it burns cleaner and increases mileage, definite pro. Con for ethanol is it takes more energy to produce than it produces when it burns.

Ethanol was originally made of corn. Burning it in cars drove the food corn price through the roof. Research into substituting switchgrass and other cellulosic biomasses are not yet feasible.

Plug-in Electrics

The majority of auto manufacturers have been testing the technology of all electric cars, with Ford and Chevrolet producing concept cars. Saturn's 2010 model is the first of the production models to be offered for public sale. A complete departure from gasoline means minimal carbon emissions, inarguable pro.

The cons include expensive batteries and long battery charging times. One long term, far-reaching con is the possibility of overloading power grids. Arguers for all-electrics claim computers can modulate charge times for off-peak hours. They are not concerned with driver need times in this argument.

Hydrogen

As one of the best alternatives to gasoline engines, hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles are hitting the road in California. $20 worth of hydrogen can take a driver 270 miles with its 68 mpg estimate. It only emission: Water vapor. Big pros.

Cons: Very few fueling stations, fuel-cell costs, hydrogen handling regulations and safety, and the costs of hydrogen production.

Other

India is trying an air car. BMW is researching steam power over a century after steam cars went out of production. Hydraulics researchers are making headway in making heavyweight commercial vehicles more fuel efficient in heavy traffic.

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What does ethanol really cost?

When everyone is looking for better fuel efficiency and cleaner burning energy, biofuel is quick to the attention of eco-conscious consumers. So how expensive is ethanol?

Bio-fuels seem to present a renewable resource alternate to fossil fuel. A closer examination of the costs of producing ethanol and biodiesel shows the true economic and ethical costs involved in choosing bio-fuel as a long term solution.

All of the following depend on fossil fuel to produce bio-fuel:

Hybridization of crops
Planting and irrigation
Fertilizer and pesticide
Harvesting
Grinding biomass
Transporting the crop
Production facility machinery

To gauge how efficient the bio-fuel alternative truly is, a joint study by Cornell and University of California -Berkeley determined that the energy output of both ethanol and biodiesel were not worth the effort of producing them.

Ethanol production from switch grass required 45 percent more energy than the resultant ethanol produced. This is the equivalent of spending $1.45 to buy a dollar.

Biodiesel produced from sunflower plants required 118 percent more energy than the biodiesel could produce. Would you spend $2.18 to buy a dollar?

These pitfalls are considered short-term shortfalls. As bio-fuel machinery becomes more widely available, the production costs will go down. Yet, the research into such machines is not likely to begin for more than another decade and only when the United States government decides which bio-fuel to endorse.

The long term pitfalls are more ominous. Ethanol and biodiesel do not burn as cleanly as burning biomass, pure wood or switch grass waste. The air emissions contribute to the greenhouse effect and further global warming.

Bio-fuels need a constant agricultural supply. To meet the United States need for liquid fuel, one of two scenarios present: 1. Residential property will be regulated to upward growth only (apartment dwelling). 2. Rural residential lands will be relegated to subsidized agriculture of biomass producing farms.

Both scenarios result in larger air pollutant emissions. The transportation of food contributes the second largest air pollutant emission in the United States. Multi-level housing creates traffic congestion and household emissions in higher concentration.

Additionally, the choice to use wood biomass to produce ethanol would result in fewer trees to protect the atmosphere, higher fossil fuel demand than even switch grass (12 percent) and increase prices of common wood based products. This price increase would impact industries that produce or use paper, cardboard, furniture, building supplies and wood as a fuel source.

So what does that mean for food prices, water and soil pollution, sustainability and fertility?

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How safe is an efficient car?

Wanted: A safe, American-built vehicle with excellent fuel efficiency in 2015.

While this does not sound like a tall request, American automakers have been joined by Oriental and European giants, like Toyota and Volkswagen, in proclaiming they cannot make such a vehicle with a consumer-friendly price tag.

Mandated fuel economy

Proposed Federal fuel economy regulations aims to speed up the schedule for producing fuel efficient cars to combat oil consumption and carbon emissions. Manufacturers are on a slower paced plan.

Since 1975, the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) program have increased fuel economy in manufacturers' fleets to 27.5 miles per gallon (MPG). Current CAFE regulations are codified in United States Code Title 49, Sub. VI, Part C, Ch. 329. CAFE sets the fuel economy for each year, which increases annually 3.3 per cent.

The proposed amendment would increase that rate to 4.5 per cent. Passenger car and light truck MPG would be 31.6 by 2015.

Safety factor

Manufacturers are balking at the price tag for producing cars with this fuel efficiency. In order to preserve jobs and make a profit, they will need to price these cars above the reach of the average consumer.

No manufacturer has publicly commented it would sacrifice safety for fuel economy, although environmental impact statements (EIS) of current models profess body weight as the biggest deterrent to fuel economy.

Since 1950, manufacturers have striven to improve crashworthiness, the vehicle's ability to survive a crash with its occupants alive or unharmed. Internal safety advances include seat belts and air bags. While those do not impact fuel economy, advanced roll cages, the car's skeleton, are the heaviest components in the car. External advances included bumper systems and crumple zones. These have varied effects on the weight of the vehicle.

Uncrashworthy cars are a liability for owner and manufacturer. When cars do not survive crashes, occupants sue the owners of other vehicles and the auto maker who produced the unsafe car.

Practical fuel economy

Technological advances in fuel economy are the first attack in producing more fuel efficient cars. Manufacturers declare this avenue as exhausted: The engine cannot be more economical.

Aerodynamics are next. Vehicles have smoother lines to resist air drag. Consumers have rejected the most fuel efficient designs as undesirable, even though the cars are economical to drive and safer than most other designs.

There is an undeniable link between weight and crashworthiness. Will fuel economy standards lead to less crashworthy cars?

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Water in your gas

Since saving money on gas is important to everyone, with or without a car, fuel economy affects all of us. Water in gasoline is the number one fuel economy reducer. So how does it get there?

Water gets into your gas in stages. Depending on the handling of your gasoline, the time of your purchase and your own maintenance of it, in some cases the amount of water will be greater than the actual gasoline content of your tank.

How is that?
Gasoline is refined from crude oil. As it breaks down, the flammable portion of the gas separates from the remaining chemicals. One of the resultant chemicals is water. The only way for gas to break down is to be in contact with air. The oxygen in the air interacts with the gasoline causing it to fume. This effect is noticeable when you pump gas into a gas can. You will be able to see the flammable portion of the gasoline swirling in the air above the opening.

Gasoline evaporates at a remarkable rate. The more air in your tank, the faster the gasoline evaporates and breaks down into poorly burning fuel.

What does that do to fuel economy?
Water is a natural fire extinguisher. A mixture of gas and water will not burn as hot as gasoline alone. This is why the gas burns from the tank faster when the gauge is lower. It takes more volume to get the same amount of gasoline when it is mixed with water. As the fuel pump churns the liquid from the tank, the heavier water mixes with the gas.

Lower temperature burning gasoline reduces fuel economy considerably. By design, your tank backfills with air as you burn out the gasoline. When your gauge reaches half, get to a pump.

Does it only happen to my car?
Oil refineries' gasoline storage tanks have a floating ceiling to keep zero atmosphere from touching the gasoline. With minimal evaporation, the gasoline neither evaporates or degrades before it is trucked to gas stations.

The gas station does not have this measure in place. Their tanks are lined metal and backfill with air the same way your gas tank does. The longer the gasoline is in their tank, the more the gas will degrade, increasing the water content.

How do I stop it?
Keeping your tank full and buying gasoline the day after it is delivered are two ways to keep the least amount of water in your gas tank. The third way is to treat your gasoline once per month or every two thousand miles.

When you treat your gas, the water that is at the bottom of the tank goes through the engine at a faster rate. The qualities of the gas treatment will raise the octane level of your gas, causing it to burn hotter.

This increase in temperature ensures that the water is burned away completely. An added bonus to this is that it reduces the amount of rust and debris that can clog fuel injection systems.

The last step to keeping water out of your gas is to purchase and maintain a locking sealant gas cap. By preventing the gas fumes from escaping, the gas cap also keeps ambient air from condensing in the top of the gas tank. This condensation increases the water content.

Buy appropriate grade gasoline for your vehicle, maintain your gasoline, cap your tank and treat your tank regularly. These are the most efficient ways to keep water out of your gas.

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Save money on gas...

Thought about saving money on your driving expenses lately? Most everyone else has. Here is the compilation of the best practical tips from around the industry on how to save money on gasoline. Luckily, not one of them is "buy a hybrid".

Driving across town to get gasoline at a cheaper price defeats the purpose of saving money! You can get more gasoline for every dollar.

~ Only buy gasoline in the early morning while the ground is still cold.

As gasoline heats, it expands. Since all gas stations have their tanks underground, the colder the ground, the denser the gasoline is. While oil companies weigh gasoline for specific gravity, gas stations do not. Denser gasoline means that your gallon will actually be a full gallon.

~ Pump at the slowest flow rate.

Slowly pumping gas reduces the amount of fumes produced. EPA mandate requires all gas pumps have a vapor return which stops fumes from escaping. When you pump fast, the vapors (still gasoline) are vacuumed back into the gas station's tank and sold again to someone else. You are charged for what goes out the nozzle without getting credit for the gasoline that returns to the storage tank.

~ Keep your tank full.

Gasoline evaporates. The more air in your tank, the faster the gasoline evaporates and breaks down into poorly burning fuel. Lower temperature burning gasoline reduces fuel economy. By design, your tank backfills with air as you burn gasoline. When your gauge reaches half, get to a pump.

Gasoline storage tanks have a floating ceiling to keep zero atmosphere from touching the gasoline. With minimal exposure, the gasoline neither evaporates or degrades before it is trucked to gas stations. Oil companies take this measure to preserve their gasoline, so should you.

~ If the truck is filling the station's tank, pump somewhere else.

As the truck sprays the gasoline into the tank, it disturbs the debris settled on the bottom of the tank from evaporation degradation and decay of the tank. This dirt, rust and incombustible material reduces fuel economy and can cause serious damage to your fuel pump and fuel injectors.

~ Change that fuel filter.

It is impossible to avoid evaporation degradation. Before you change your oil, clean your fuel with a product approved by your vehicle's manufacturer. When the oil is changed, change the fuel filter. Preserve your fuel economy by removing the most material reducing your gas mileage.

~ Driving courteously.

Quick starts and hard braking burn more gasoline than letting off one pedal and touching your foot to the floor before applying pressure to another pedal. The speed limit, or just a bit below, will produce better gas mileage.

~ Empty your trunk and backseat.

Reduce weight to reduce gasoline consumption.

~ Use cruise control every time possible.

Cruise control saves more than 7% of the gas used driving manually on flat terrain.

~ Use the correct grade of gasoline for your vehicle.

~ Plan excursions to include at least three stops. By combining trips for errands, you will burn less gasoline and time.

Make your gasoline dollar drive you farther. Save enough to drive to your Senator's office to demand equity with oil companies when it comes to preserving your fuel investment.

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