Alternative Fuels and Designs

Energy is used to propel vehicles. Energy cannot be created or destroyed, but it can be converted from one form to another. In a traditional internal combustion vehicle, gasoline or diesel is used as chemical energy in the combustion process. Alternative energy vehicles now available. Examples include biodiesel, flex-fuel, natural gas, propane, bi-fuel, hybrid, hydrogen fuel cell, and electric. The most popular alternative designs are hybrids, electrics, plug-in hybrids, and flex-fuel vehicles. This course will help you identify different types of energy sources used to propel vehicles, compare different vehicle types, calculate payback period, and predict the role of the automobile in the future.