Electric cars are proving more successful than already thought, but already people are asking what next? The amount of fossil fuels burnt up by power stations to charge electric cars is dramatically less than the amount used to fuel a petrol car – there’s no doubt about that. But they’re still not the perfect green solution. Sadly, none of the other eco-friendly methods are anywhere near as capable as electric guitars. Let’s take look.Solar powerPerhaps it’s possible to stay electric? Perhaps instead of charging via fossil fuels, charge via the sun? Already the solar car exists – there are motorsports events dedicated to it. And recent developments have been made into producing a road vehicle with tests seeing cars travel 115 miles on a single charge. However, speed is still very much an obstacle, with few of the fastest models breaking 50 mph.Hydrogen fuelWhen burned with oxygen, hydrogen makes for an effective zero emissions fuel. Already vehicles are making use of this technology, Toyota proudly unveiling the Mirai in 2015 – the first commercially sold hydrogen cell vehicle. The burning issue is the cost of manufacturing and the expensive production of hydrogen through electrolysis. Many manufacturing businesses are currently looking at ways to cut costs but it seems likely to be a long time before hydrogen fuel cells can sold at a price that is affordable for everyone.BiofuelBiofuel is energy made out of biological material. There have been various experiments with all manner of resources from algae to sunflowers to chip fat – many of which are still being researched into. Biodiesel, made from vegetable oil, if fast becoming one of the most popular biofuels in the world, already successful in Europe. However, there are concerns that its viscosity and lack of lubricity is leading to quicker engine wear, giving petrol-based diesel the edge when it comes to efficiency.Alcohol fuelThere are many alcohol fuels that you may already be aware of such as ethanol, butanol and propanol. Relying on the same combustion method as petrol, alcohol might seem like the perfect sustainable alternative. However, whilst it is a renewable energy source, great amounts of arable land would have to be harvested in order to produce the crops. On top of this there are issues regarding the disposal of waste fermentation liquors. Plus, because of the slow burn rate of alcohol, you’d need a much bigger tank!PropanePropane is another alternative currently being explored. Whilst not entirely clean, it burns far much cleaner than petrol and has a much longer shelf life. The noise that is produced is also much lower. Sadly, propane isn’t free of its disadvantages either though. The fuel system is much more complicated than that required for a normal engine and there is hence an increased risk of failure that could result in a nasty explosion. On top of being more dangerous it is also much more costly to implement. Propane has some way to go before we can see it being used in road cars.
