Alternative Fuel Cars: Decreasing Need for Foreign Oil

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If ever we had a need for science to step in and help out in a crisis, now is the time. At this point, it’s excruciatingly clear that fossil fuels won’t last forever, and yet, as a country and as a planet, we consume them at a growing rate. As a result, supply decreases, demand increases, fuel prices rise dramatically, and suddenly our lifestyles are affected.

The future has been revealed: a day will come when there will be no more oil.

The first step that science and industry can provide to help out is innovative, energy-conserving vehicles. Recognizing this need, Hybrid cars have sprung up everywhere from almost every auto manufacturer, with more models being planned and produced in the coming months.

GM introduced the EV1 electric concept vehicle several years ago. While it never went into wide-scale production, that technology will definitely be analyzed and possibly brought back to the market.

Companies and municipalities are beginning to include Hybrid and bio-diesel powered vehicles in their fleets, further increasing the demand for alternative-fuel vehicles.

Celebrities have stepped into the picture, as well as businessmen, women, and environmentalists. While bio-diesel is an affordable alternative, it is still a major polutant, and not all cities have convenient bio-diesel stations in which to fill up.

Many car companies are “going green” - Saturn even calls their environmentally friendly line of vehicles their “Green Line.” Solar cell technology, biodisel, electric engines - everything is on the table for these vehicles. The next few years will see some interesting new designs to improve fuel economy and use less energy in the process of transporting people and things from one place to another.

One real advantage, other than saving money at the pump, is that wide adoption of newer, “Green” vehicles will mean less polutants in the air. This in turn will help with the man-made components of global warming, and in larger cities, with the smog problem that has been with us for the past several decades.

Industry experts are quick to point out that alternative fuel green cars have higher efficiency, thus increasing their EPA miles per gallon rating over traditional gas and diesel vehicles - a pleasant surprise when you see the vehicle’s sticker at the dealership.

The downside is the higher cost of these vehicles. Over time, this cost will come down as competition will force auto makers to find more economical ways of producing their lines of environmentally-friendly cars and trucks.

It has even been theorized that less automobile polutants will have a positive effect on the health of metropolitan areas. While this won’t be an overnight change, it will be interesting to see the statistics on asthma, allergies, and respiratory infections over the next few years.

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