What are some fairly priced methods of converting to alternative fuels?

Question

And what kind of car(s) would be needed to convert from traditional gasoline to an alternative fuel?

Answer 1

Hmm, propane, charcoal and ethanol may be alternative fuels, but they aren't green fuels.  They're still hydrocarbons.  Ethanol may grow from corn, but growing it and DISTILLING IT takes nearly as much fossil fuel as it replaces.

http://www.mda.state.mn.us/renewable/ren...

If you want an alternative fuel that actually helps the environment, then scrap it and get a diesel, and run biodiesel.  Since you care about price, that's pretty much your only option.  

You can't convert to electric or plug-in hybrid, even though they'd save you a fortune over the life of the car.  Why?  Because you have to pay cash up front for an electric car conversion.  You can't walk down to Crazy Freddy's Used Cars and walk out with an electric for $279 a month "plus taxes and registration".

Answer 2

Here are three alternatives for gasoline cars to run on, there are more. These have been used quite commonly.

A normal gasoline vehicle can be converted to run on L.P.G. (Liquid petroleum gas) reasonably easily. The tank does swallow a lot of storage space.

You could also add a charcoal gas modification this was popular in the 40's. Again a largish bolt on.

http://www.toyota.co.jp/Museum/data_e/a0...

You can get them to run on ethanol of various percentage blends. Brazil has been doing it for years.

http://www.brookings.edu/dybdocroot/view...

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P.s. Depending on your point of view all three of these can be considered "greener"  than regular gasoline.

L.P.G emits 12.5lb co2 /gal (U.S.). Even allowing for increased usage results in around 16-20% less emissions than gasoline.

In the case of carbon gas and ethanol the co2 produced was recently captured by the vegetation.

Of course none of these options are as good as parking the car, walking or riding a bicycle

Answer 3

A few ideas in hear guess we just have to hold off until one of them  gets on the market  http://www.first-molecule.com I sure don't feel like going in debt for another car i just have a little over 30,000 with the one i have

Answer 4

biodeisel. get a diesel. you can make it from veg oil or filterd waste veg oil...

www.journeytoforever.org

or just run veg oil

www.goldenfuelsystems.com

Answer 5

You should consider bio-diesel, you would need a diesel car to convert. Just google bio-diseal and you will pull up hundreds of websites on it.