| racing car engines from the 1930s, and road cars | | | | The first electric cars were built around 1832, well |
| from the late 1950s.[16] Gasoline Direct Injection | | | | before internal combustion powered cars |
| (GDI) is now starting to appear in production vehicles | | | | appeared.[21] For a period of time electrics were |
| such as the 2007 (Mark II) BMW Mini. Exhaust gases | | | | considered superior due to the silent nature of |
| are also cleaned up by fitting a catalytic converter | | | | electric motors compared to the very loud noise of |
| into the exhaust system. Clean air legislation in | | | | the gasoline engine. This advantage was removed |
| manyfree articles directoryof the car industries most | | | | with Hiram Percy Maxim's invention of the muffler in |
| important markets has made both catalysts and fuel | | | | 1897. Thereafter internal combustion powered cars |
| injection virtually universal fittings. Most modern | | | | had two critical advantages: 1) long range and 2) high |
| gasoline engines also are capable of running with up | | | | specific energy (far lower weight of petrol fuel |
| to 15% ethanol mixed into the gasoline - older | | | | versus weight of batteries). The building of battery |
| vehicles may have seals and hoses that can be | | | | electric vehicles that could rival internal combustion |
| harmed by ethanol. With a small amount of redesign, | | | | models had to wait for the introduction of modern |
| gasoline-powered vehicles can run on ethanol | | | | semiconductor controls and improved batteries. |
| concentrations as high as 85%.free articles directory | | | | Because they can deliver a high torque at low |
| 100% ethanol is used in some parts of the world | | | | revolutions electric cars do not require such a |
| (such as Brazil), but vehicles must be started on pure | | | | complex drive train and transmission as internal |
| gasoline and switched over to ethanol once the | | | | combustion powered cars. Some post-2000 electric |
| engine is running. Most gasoline engined cars can also | | | | car designs such as the Venturi Fétish are able to |
| run on LPG with the addition of an LPG tank for fuel | | | | accelerate from 0-60 mph (96 km/h) in |
| storage and carburettor modifications to add an LPG | | | | 4.0 seconds with a top speed around 130 mph |
| mixer. LPG produces fewer toxic emissions and is a | | | | (210 km/h). Others have a range of 250 miles |
| popular fuel for fork-lift trucks that have to operate | | | | (400 km) on the United States Environmental |
| inside buildings.free articles directory | | | | Protection Agency (EPA) highway cycle requiring 3-1 |
| The hydrogen powered FCHV (Fuel Cell Hybrid | | | | 2 hours to completely charge.[22] Equivalent fuel |
| Vehicle) was developed by Toyota in 2005 | | | | efficiency to internal combustion is not well defined |
| Biofuels | | | | but some press reports give it at around 135 miles |
| Main articles: Biofuel, Ethanol fuel, and biogasoline | | | | per US gallon (1.74 L/100 km; 162 mpg-imp). |
| Ethanol, other alcohol fuels (biobutanol) and | | | | Steam |
| biogasoline have widespread use an automotive fuel. | | | | Main article: steam car |
| Most alcohols have less energy per liter than gasoline | | | | Steam power, usually using an oil- or gas-heated |
| and are usually blended with gasoline. Alcohols are | | | | boiler, was also in use until the 1930s but had the |
| used for a variety of reasons - to increase octane, | | | | major disadvantage of being unable to power the car |
| to improve emissions, and as an alternative to | | | | until boiler pressure was available (although the newer |
| petroleum based fuel, since they can be made from | | | | models could achieve this in well under a minute). It |
| agricultural crops. Brazil's ethanol program provides | | | | has the advantage of being able to produce very low |
| about 20% of the nation's automotive fuel needs, as | | | | emissions as the combustion process can be carefully |
| a result of the mandatory use of E25 blend of | | | | controlled. Its disadvantages include poor heat |
| gasoline throughout the country, 3 million cars that | | | | efficiency and extensive requirements for electric |
| operate on pure ethanol, and 6 million dual or | | | | auxiliaries.[23]. |
| flexible-fuel vehicles sold since 2003.[17] that run on | | | | Air |
| any mix of ethanol and gasoline. The commercial | | | | Main article: Compressed-air car |
| success of "flex" vehicles, as they are popularly | | | | A compressed air car is an alternative fuel car that |
| known, have allowed sugarcane based ethanol fuel to | | | | uses a motor powered by compressed air. The car |
| achieve a 50% market share of the gasoline market | | | | can be powered solely by air, or by air combined (as |
| by April 2008.[18][19][20] | | | | in a hybrid electric vehicle) with gasoline/diesel/ethanol |
| Electric | | | | or electric plant and regenerative braking. Instead of |
| Main articles: Electric car, Hybrid vehicle, and Plug-in | | | | mixing fuel with air and burning it to drive pistons with |
| hybrid | | | | hot expanding gases; compressed air cars use the |
| The Henney Kilowatt, the first modern | | | | expansion of compressed air to drive their pistons. |
| (transistor-controlled) electric car. | | | | Several prototypes are available already and |
| 2007 Tesla electric powered Roadster | | | | scheduled for worldwide sale by the end of 2008, |
| Tata/MDI OneCAT Air Car | | | | though this has not happened as of January 2009. |
| A CNG powered high-floor Neoplan AN440A, run on | | | | Companies releasing this type of car include Tata |
| Compressed Natural Gas | | | | Motors and Motor Development International (MDI). |