What is an alternative to hydrocarbon fuel, which can be used to make a car run?

Question

how would it run with this alternative?

Answer 1

What do you mean by "hydrocarbon"?  If you mean any fuel with carbon in it, you're down to hydrogen (don't hold your breath) and battery-electric.  

We kinda need some carbon in the fuel to make it easy to carry in a tank.  Otherwise you just have hydrogen.

If you mean "fossil fuels" then I would say biodiesel.   I wouldn't say ethanol because real-world, a lot of fossil fuel is used to make the ethanol.   I also wouldn't say LPG, propane, CNG etc. because those are fossil fuels.

Answer 2

Electric battries can be used to run a car. Cars can also be fitted with solar panels to use the energy from sun rays to run.

Answer 3

Vegetable oil has also been proved to be able to fuel cars instead of deisel

Answer 4

electric is the best option (using either Li batteries or hydrogen fuel-cells).

Electric runs much better than infernal combustion; smooth, quiet, smell free.

max torque from 0 rpm, means better acceleration, see <8sec 1/4mile Killacycle http://www.killacycle.com

simpler transmission, no coolant or exaust systems, lower maintenace

refuel convinently at home or work from renewable energy, or in 10 minutes at a service station

eg the lotus designed tesla http://www.teslamotors.com (but don't expect the fossil heads in the UK media to tell you about any of this)

Answer 5

Hydrocarbons include every liquid chemical fuel we've ever used, as far as I know. Including non-fossil types. But, take heart, because if we used DCFC's (Direct Carbon Fuel Cells) powered by bio-carbon, we would actually REMOVE bad carbon from the atmosphere as we drive.

See, flash-carbonizing biomass literally takes the carbon just pulled out of the atmosphere to support that plant-life and converts it into a natural soil-additive for desert regions to become more fertile and productive. Hence, more "green".

The fuel-worthy portion is converted into electricity to run your car.

Sure, they run a little warm - about 800 Celsius - but they're much more efficient than hydrogen fuel cells and there's no need for a tank compressed to 5,000 PSI!!! Talk about an IED!!

Another nice option could come about if battery technology ever enjoys the breakthrough we've all been waiting for. If a small, light power-storage device could provide, say, 500 times the power of the typical lead-acid car battery, electric cars would quickly take over.

And the electricity is ALREADY cheaper to generate using wind turbines (in some areas). Other non-fossil means are coming around quickly, as well.

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Answer 6

This site can help you, he show about Savegas idea

main topic on this site invite to use water instead gasoline.

cell battery + (xyline+ water) = gas

mix gas( from water)+gasoline = burn engine

this methode can help for save gas  save earth (because  Co2 is low)

I thaink   this site is interesting.

Answer 7

Hydrogen, either burnt directly or to make electricity for wheel motors through fuel cells, a kind of big battery that combines hydrogen and oxygen to make electricity. Honda (FCX) and BMW have hydrogen cars out currently. Failing that advanced battery powered cars, there are a few, very fast and whizzy just like your old radio controlled model car.

Answer 8

If you use the word fuel to mean a liquid or gas which will burn, the only one not a hydrocarbon that I know of is hydrogen and it is not really a fuel since it takes more energy to make it than is made by burning it. Hydrogen requires electricity in order to make it.  It can be made by solar electric power in small amounts, slowly or you can build hundreds of acres of massive solar collectors, ugly and not environmentally friendly.  You could double the number of electric generating plants to make enough H to replace oil products. more nuclear or coal fired plants and hydroelectric dams.

To run a car the same distance per tank of fuel requires using liquid H at near absolute zero with a refrigeration unit to keep it cold.  If it stops cooling, pick up the pieces.  Compress the H to 10,000 psi and you still need a tank 5 times the size of a petrol tank. If you use metal hydrides to store the H then the storage weighs about 1500 pounds.  H is not a practical fuel.

If you change all the cars to run on electricity, the pollution moves to where the electricity is made and you still have to double the number of generating plants.

Stop worrying about hydrocarbon fuels and just look to find the most CO2 neutral, renewable fuels and the most efficient way to use the fuels we have.  At the moment the most efficient, cleanest engine is the steam engine, although few people know enough about them.  Most are prejudiced and ignorant about steam power.  In a car the main problem with steam is waiting a few minutes for operating pressure before the car will move.  This can be solved by using the steam engine to do what is does best, generate electricity to charge the batteries of a hybrid car which uses an electric motor to turn the wheels.

Answer 9

I presume from your question that you are concerned about the fact that cheap sources of hydrocarbon fuels are running out and about the global warming caused by these fuels.

Many people will offer alternative fuels but they will fail to solve these problems that threaten huge social and economic upheaval.  Some alternatives such as electric power and hydrogen still require fossil fuels to generate the electricity or produce the hydrogen.  Others such as vegetable oils will push up the price of food.  Even solar power is a bad idea because we need the solar panels to provide electricity for our homes and factories.

So the only real answer to fuels for cars is - no cars.  Global warming and the depletion of our fossil fuels can only be fixed by adopting simpler lifestyles assisted by technology instead of wasteful lifestyles amplified by technology.  We need to walk and pedal more and will enjoy much better physical fitness in the process.  We need to stop buying stuff and taking foreign holidays just because the neighbours do.  We need to learn to mend stuff instead of throwing it away and we need to recycle stuff that can not be mended.

Please don't tell me you can't get to work without a car.  Get a home near your work or a job near your home like your parents and grandparents did.  Otherwise the world we leave our children will be a shameful mess.

I promise you a simpler lifestyle is more fun and provides far more satisfaction than trying to keep up with the neighbours.

I am glad you are looking for alternatives.

Best wishes

Answer 10

Hydrogen, nuclear, clockwork, gyroscope, electric, rocket and plasma are all propulsion technologies that are (or can be made to be) non-hydrocarbon.

Answer 11

lpg.  liquid  petroleum gas.

vans run on this i believe, it seems to be ok