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What are the types of green transportation vehicles
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PHEV image from the U.S. Department of Energy
Electric Vehicles: Electricity can be used as a transportation fuel to power battery electric vehicles (EVs). EVs store electricity in an energy storage device, such as a battery. The electricity powers the vehicle's wheels via an electric motor. EVs have limited energy storage capacity, which must be replenished by plugging into an electrical source.
Flexible Fuel Vehicles: Flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) are capable of operating on gasoline, E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline), or a mixture of both. There are almost 8 million flexible fuel vehicles on U.S. roads today, but many FFV owners don't know their vehicle is one. Unlike natural gas and propane bi-fuel vehicles, flexible fuel vehicles contain one fueling system, which is made up of ethanol compatible components and is set to accommodate the higher oxygen content of E85. E85 should only be used in ethanol-capable FFVs.
Natural Gas Vehicles: Natural gas vehicles are fueled with compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG). Compared with vehicles fueled with conventional diesel and gasoline, NGVs can produce significantly lower amounts of harmful emissions. In addition, some natural gas vehicle owners report service lives two to three years longer than gasoline or diesel vehicles and extended time between required maintenance.
Propane Vehicles: Propane is also known as liquefied petroleum gas or LPG. There are more than 270,000 on-road propane vehicles in the United States and more than 10 million worldwide. Many are used in fleets, including light- and heavy-duty trucks, buses, taxicabs, police cars, and rental and delivery vehicles.
Diesel Vehicles (using biodiesel): Advanced diesel engine technologies combine in-cylinder combustion control for low engine-out emissions with advanced after-treatment technologies and ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) fuel to meet EPA emissions standards. Advanced combustion strategies such as exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) lower engine-out NOx emissions. After-treatment devices such as NOx adsorbers and selective catalytic reduction (SCR), reduce NOx emissions by up to 90 percent. Diesel particulate filters and oxidation catalysts lower particulate matter emissions by over 95 percent. A combination of these after-treament technologies is used to meet stringent emissions standards.
Fuel Cell Vehicles:Fuel cell vehicles use a completely different propulsion system than conventional vehicles, which can be two to three times more efficient. Unlike conventional vehicles, they produce no harmful exhaust emissions—their only emission is water. Other benefits include increasing U.S. energy security and strengthening the economy. Like electric vehicles, fuel cell vehicles use electricity to power motors located near the vehicle's wheels. In contrast to electric vehicles, fuel cell vehicles produce their primary electricity using a fuel cell. The fuel cell is powered by filling the fuel tank with hydrogen.
Hybrid Electric Vehicles: Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) typically combine the internal combustion engine of a conventional vehicle with the battery and electric motor of an electric vehicle. The combination offers low emissions, with the power, range, and convenient fueling of conventional (gasoline and diesel) vehicles—and HEVs never need to be plugged in. They are powered by two energy sources—an energy conversion unit (such as an internal combustion engine or fuel cell) and an energy storage device (such as batteries or ultracapacitors). The energy conversion unit can be powered by gasoline, diesel, compressed natural gas, hydrogen, or other fuels.
Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles: Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) combine the benefits of pure electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles. Like electric vehicles, they plug into the electric grid and can be powered by the stored electricity alone. Like hybrid electric vehicles, they have engines that enable greater driving range and battery recharging. Like hybrid electric vehicles, PHEVs are powered by two energy sources—an energy conversion unit (such as an internal combustion engine or fuel cell) and an energy storage device (usually batteries).
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