ALTERNATIVE FUEL VEHICLES (AFV)

There are two types of alternative fuel vehicles – those that are originally designed to run on these new fuels and those that have been converted to run on alternative fuels. Car companies will also make hybrid vehicles that can run on either gasoline or other fuels. Many people call these cars “green vehicles” because of their positive effect on the environment.

Since the trend is toward producing and buying environmentally friendly vehicles, nearly every major car manufacturer has at least one green vehicle in their inventory. We’re relatively sure that as alternative fuels become more and more popular because of the cost and the positive effects on our environment, the number of green vehicles will dramatically increase in the next few years.

As of 2006, here is a list of some of the green vehicles manufactured by some of the major car companies:

• Honda Insight
  
  
• Honda Accord Hybrid
  
  
• Dodge Ram Pickup 1500 Series
  
  
• Dodge Stratus Sedan
  
  
• Dodge Durango SUV
  
  
• Dodge Caravan Minivan
  
  
• Ford Taurus
  
  
• Ford F-150 Pickup
  
  
• Ford Escape SUV
  
  
• GM Impala
  
  
• Chevrolet Silverado 4 x 2
  
  
• Chevrolet Tahoe SUV
  
  
• Chevy Yukon SUV
  
  
• Nissan Titan Pickup
  
  
• Toyota Highlander SUV
  
  
• Toyota Prius
  

Many of the vehicles listed above are hybrid vehicles which mean that they can run on both conventional gasoline as well as alternative fuels. As we said, the above list is for 2006 vehicles. The list for 2007 is much larger.

There are also two other types of AFVs that are becoming more and more popular. First, there is the electric vehicle. This car is exactly what it says it is. You plug it into an electrical outlet to charge the battery and then drive without using any fuel at all. However, these vehicles are generally not meant to travel at high speeds.

A second type of AFV is the fuel cell vehicle. These cars get electrical energy from a fuel cell instead of from a battery. There are different kinds of fuel cell vehicles, but most manufacturers prefer cells that use a proton exchange membrane that uses hydrogen to produce an electrical current to run the motor. The only type of exhaust with this type of vehicle is water – believe it or not!

Besides the obvious advantages to owning an AFV, the government is also stepping in to make it even more advantageous. People who buy these types of vehicles are given tax breaks on their income taxes. Additionally, many states also offer incentives and car manufacturers even offer rebates or discounts.

Most incentives offset a percentage of the incremental cost of the vehicle (the additional dollars OEMs charge for the AFV versus a conventional model). Federal and state laws also help keep the cost of alternative fuels competitive with gasoline or diesel.

Consider the following examples of state offered incentives:

• In California, AFVs can use the High Occupancy Vehicle lane regardless of the number of passengers in the car. Plus, in some places, AFVs even get free metered parking.
  
  
• Texas is giving schools and school districts grants to convert school vehicles such as buses to an AFV. The state also provides a tax break during licensing and registration for the owner of an AFV.
  
  
• Florida also offers an exemption to the driver of an AFV allowing them to travel in the High Occupancy Vehicle lane regardless of how many passengers are in the car. They are also exempt from a portion of taxes levied on fuel.
  
  
• When people who have AFVs and go to fuel them at approved fueling stations, they are exempt from all state and local excise and use taxes placed on the fuel.

And that’s just a sampling. Almost all states have federal grants and funding specifically allocated to make a switch for all government vehicles including heavy equipment, buses, and taxis to become alternative fuel vehicles. States are increasingly aware of the damage that car emissions can cause and they are taking steps to make their states environmentally friendly and healthier.

So we know that owning an AFV is a good decision both ecologically as well as financially from a fuel standpoint. But what do these vehicles cost you?  Well, you will be paying more for an AFV than for a regular gasoline powered car. Consider the following table:

Vehicle	AFV Option	Regular Option
Ford Escape	$23,320	$18,145
Lexus GS 450h	$55,615	$46,279
Chevrolet Silverado	$25,525	$12,268
Honda Accord	$31,685	$18,210

Of course, prices will vary according to your location, but you can see that, in general an AFV will cost you more up front than a gasoline powered car. However, you could also be saving a lot of money on your fuel and helping keep the environment clean and the world thriving for a longer time.
 
You can also convert a regular gasoline powered car to an AFV. A converted vehicle is one that was built to operate on gasoline or diesel but is modified to run on alternative fuels, such as compressed natural gas or propane the two most common types of fuel conversions.

The Environmental Protection Agency has very specific criteria as to how a car must be converted to an AFV. All vehicle conversions must be certified according to Mobile Source Enforcement Memorandum 1A (Memo 1A), the Addendum to Memo 1A, and the Revision to the Addendum to Memo 1A, which were issued by EPA.

A dedicated converted vehicle is one that operates only on an alternative fuel or a dual fuel which means that they can operate on either an alternative fuel or gasoline. These types of vehicles have separate tanks and fuel systems for each fuel.

Bi-fuel vehicles are those designed to run on combinations of an alternative fuel along with a conventional fuel like gasoline. Dual fuel systems allow the use of only one fuel at a time, but bi-fuel systems supply both fuels into the combustion chamber tat the same time.

The Environmental Protection Agency certifies converted vehicles rather than the conversion systems or conversion kits. The EPA refers to a fuels converter as a small volume manufacturer that hold the certificate to perform a conversion. An individual who wants to have a vehicle converted to run on an alternative must do so through a company associated with a certificate holder.

The companies or organizations that would hold Certificates of Conformity issued by the EPA would include the designer of the conversion equipment, the producer or manufacturers of the equipment and the person who plans to perform the installations.
 
It is the responsibility of the certificate holder to insure that the equipment is properly installed and that the system is safe, durable, and results in the vehicle meeting the emission standards of the original model year of the vehicle.

Converting a gas-powered vehicle to an AFV is not an easy process, so unless you are an experienced mechanic, you should leave the conversion up to professionals. Conversion involves changing the fuel cells, the gas tank, hoses, and such. The cost will vary, but expect to pay somewhere around $4,000 to $6,000.

There are some incentives that states are offering consumers for conversions. Many mechanics who do conversions will probably know about specific grants for this, but you can also check with your state or local government’s website to see what types of incentives are offered.

As we’ve said, running a car on an alternative fuel could save you money in the long run on your fuel costs. Let’s take a more in-depth look at alternative fuels and how they will help you as well as our world.

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