A comparative analysis study of alternative energy sources for automobiles

Abstract

Depletion of oil resources and some environmental factors have been pushing automobile makers and the scientific communities to study on the use of alternative energy sources in automobiles. In this respect, some energy sources will come to the forefront with some advantages while some others not. To determine which alternative energy source is suitable for automobiles in terms of the existing conditions is a very important issue. It is necessary to know the characteristics of these energy types and evaluate their advantages and disadvantages to make this determination. In this study, a comparative analysis is performed for fuels such as LPG, CNG, hydrogen, biodiesel, ethanol and methanol, which could be used as an alternative to gasoline and diesel, and electric, hybrid and fuel cell vehicles. According to the comparison, LPG and CNG are best alternative fuels for economical reasons, while electric and fuel cell vehicles stand out as their emission advantages. Also, hydrogen can be considered as a key fuel due to its usage as an energy source for both internal combustion engines and fuel cell vehicles. Copyright (C) 2015, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.