Find solutions to your transportation and car emissions
How bad is my car for the environment?
Every year a car is on the road, it omits 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide every year. Trees absorb 21 kg of carbon dioxide every year. It would take a tree 214 years to convert a car's carbon dioxide output back into oxygen. The market for greener alternatives to petrol cars is snowballing. There are a number of reasons for this: people are starting to become more aware of the consequences of petrol cars; the technology to produce greener alternatives is improving, and the cost of electric vehicles is coming down. Here are four of the most popular greener alternatives to petrol cars. Cars that take Biofuel Electric vehicles Hydrogen Cars Lithium-ion battery-powered cars But let's look at these a little further.
Bio Fuels - The Cheap Alternative
The two most prevalent biofuels in use today are ethanol and biodiesel, both of which are the first instances of biofuel technology that have really taken off.
Biodiesel
Biodiesel is made from vegetable oils, yellow grease, wasted cooking oils, or animal fats.
Transesterification converts fats and oils into biodiesel and glycerin (a coproduct), resulting in the creation of biodiesel.
Ethanol
Ethanol is anhydrous, denatured alcohol. The majority of the world's fuel ethanol is manufactured by fermenting grains like corn, sorghum, and barley, as well as sugar cane and sugar beets (
reference). Biofuels emit far less sulphur oxide and nitrogen dioxide than fossil fuels when burned. While they still emit carbon dioxide into the environment, some people believe that because biofuel is derived from plants, it absorbs CO2 as opposed to producing it. Biofuel can serve as a substitute for petroleum, propane, and coal.
Electric Cars
Electric cars are becoming more popular, but they still have a ways to go before they overtake gas-powered cars. There are a number of reasons for this: electric cars are more expensive than gas cars, and the infrastructure for electric vehicles is not as developed as it needs to be. However, there are many advantages to electric cars that will continue to make them more popular in the years to come. Electric cars are much cheaper to operate than gas cars. You can charge an electric car at home for a fraction of the cost of filling up a gas car. Electric vehicles also produce zero emissions, which is great for the environment, making them a greener alternative to petrol cars.
Top Rated Electic Cars of 2022 by Top Gear
- Porsche Taycan & Taycan Cross Turismo
- Tesla Model 3
- Honda e
- Hyundai Ioniq 5
- Audi e-tron GT
- BMW iX
- Skoda Enyaq iV
- Tesla Model Y
- Ford Mustang Mach-E
- Renault Megane E-Tech
Read more…
How do electric vehicles work?
Electric vehicles are powered by electricity making them
more sustainable. Electricity is a type of energy that is produced when atoms are combined. Electricity flows through wires and powers things like light bulbs and electric motors. A battery in an electric vehicle converts the electrical energy into power to run the motor. The battery also stores energy so the vehicle can run even when the electricity from the grid is not available. Electric motors are more efficient than gasoline engines and they produce no pollution. Electric vehicles can therefore help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality. Want to learn more about
how you can become more sustainable?
Hydrogen-Powered Cars
A hydrogen car is a car that runs on hydrogen fuel cells instead of petrol. Hydrogen cars are a green alternative to petrol cars, as they don't produce harmful emissions as petrol cars do. Hydrogen fuel cells run by converting condensed hydrogen into electricity, and the only emission from the car is water. Hydrogen cars are also very efficient, as they can convert up to 60% of the energy in the hydrogen into motion. This is much more efficient than petrol cars, which only convert around 20% of their energy into motion.
Why hydrogen cars aren't quite there yet
There are only two mainstream hydrogen-powered cars on sale currently - the Toyota Mirai and Hyundai Nexo. Still, there is chatter of a few other companies joining the race soon. The hydrogen car is not as popular as other standard electric or lithium battery-powered cars for two reasons. 1. There is a lack of infrastructure to support an increase of Hydrogen cars on the road. This will take time and a lot of support from governments around the world to start building towards this facilitation. 2. Hydrogen is hard to store; therefore it is hard to transport and sell. Big green hydrogen companies face this dilemma, but many are driven to solve the conundrum as the idea of an infinite source of fuel is one worth fighting for.
Lithium-ion battery-powered cars - a greener alternative
Are lithium-ion battery-powered cars the future of the automotive industry? That's the big question everyone is asking. There are pros and cons to this type of car, but overall, they seem to outweigh the cons. Here are some of the pros of lithium-ion battery-powered cars: They're much more efficient than gasoline-powered cars, and they produce zero emissions. They can also travel much farther on a single charge than electric cars powered by lead-acid batteries. Here are some of the cons of lithium-ion battery-powered cars: The batteries can be expensive to replace, and, while it's uncommon in more modern developments, it's worth mentioning that they can be prone to fires or explosions if not handled properly.
What are Lithium-ion Batteries?
Lithium-ion batteries are rechargeable batteries that use lithium ions to move between the anode and cathode. They are used in a variety of devices, including smartphones, laptops, and electric cars. Lithium-ion batteries have a high energy density, meaning they can store a lot of energy in a small space, and they can be recharged quickly. This makes them a good choice for portable devices and electric cars.
How do I know if my car is low emissions?
Most new cars have a fuel consumption label on the inside of the windscreen; the higher the consumption, the more emissions that are omitted. Most cars, on average, omit 4.6 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide every year. Realistically, if you are using petrol or diesel, your car isn't low emissions. It's commendable to use an eco-friendly car that uses less fuel, but we as a society need to accept the green alternative movement.
Biome
We hope this article has driven you to consider a green alternative to petrol cars. We value everyone's position financially, and we understand that it may not be viable in current economic climates to make the shift. But it's something to work towards, and the fact that you have made the first step of your journey is amazing. If you'd like to learn more about Biome and what we do,
see here!
