Living with Your Alternative Fuel Vehicle

Back in the 1950s, drivers of tiny imported cars often encountered derisive glares from pilots of domestic V-8 land yachts. A few years ago, the buyer of an alternative-fuel vehicle might have faced similar reactions. Today, their owners are more likely to be viewed as sensible visionaries.


Why consider alternative fuels? Saving money is a major motivator. Some fuels yield greater economy than gasoline and they can reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Environmentally minded drivers like the potential for lowered emissions, combined with reduced fuel usage.

Driving Ease
Although most alternative-fuel vehicles drive much like conventional gasoline models, others demand changes in motoring habits and expectations. For alternative-fuel vehicles to gain widespread acceptance, the driver should be only minimally aware that it's not a conventional automobile.


"There's no user training" needed for a hybrid, says Stephen Ellis, manager of fuel cell vehicle marketing for Honda. Drivers of natural gas and fuel cell vehicles, however, must be re-educated.


Flex-fuel vehicles that run on ethanol blends differ the least from conventional combustion vehicles. In fact, many of their owners are probably unaware that an E85 blend can be used as a substitute for gasoline. Driving a diesel differs only slightly from gasoline engines, less than in the past. You're most likely to realize the differences in natural gas and propane vehicles at fill-up time, since they use gases rather than liquids.