| Fuel and propulsion technologies | | | | was first used in aircraft engines from 1909, in |
| A radio taxi in New Delhi. A court order requires all | | | | racing car engines from the 1930s, and road cars |
| commercial vehicles including trucks, buses and | | | | from the late 1950s.[16] Gasoline Direct Injection |
| taxis in India to run on Compressed free articles | | | | (GDI) is now starting to appear in production |
| directory Natural Gas See also: Alternative fuel | | | | vehicles such as the 2007 (Mark II) BMW Mini. |
| vehicle | | | | Exhaust gases are also cleaned up by fitting a |
| Most automobiles in use today are propelled by | | | | catalytic converter into the exhaust system. |
| gasoline (also known as petrol) or diesel internal | | | | Clean air legislation in many of the car industries |
| combustion engines, which are known to cause air | | | | most important markets has made both catalysts |
| pollution and are also blamed for contributing to | | | | and fuel injection virtually universal fittings. Most |
| climate change and global warming.[14]free articles | | | | modern gasoline engines also are capable of |
| directory | | | | running with up to 15% ethanol mixed into the |
| Increasing costs of oil-based fuels, tightening | | | | gasoline - older vehicles may have seals and |
| environmental laws and restrictions on greenhouse | | | | hoses that can be harmed by ethanol. With a |
| gas emissions are propelling work on alternative | | | | small amount of redesign, gasoline-powered |
| power systems for automobiles. Efforts to | | | | vehicles can run on ethanol concentrations as high |
| improve or replace existing technologies include | | | | as 85%. 100% ethanol is used in some parts of |
| the development of hybrid vehicles, and electric | | | | the world (such as Brazil), but vehicles must be |
| and hydrogen vehicles which do not release | | | | started on pure gasoline and switched over to |
| pollution into the air.free articles directory | | | | ethanol once the engine is running. Most gasoline |
| Petroleum fuels | | | | engined cars can also run on LPG with the addition |
| Main article: Petroleum fuel engine Diesel Main | | | | of an LPG tank for fuel storage and carburettor |
| article: Diesel engine | | | | modifications to add an LPG mixer. LPG produces |
| Diesel-engined cars have long been popular in | | | | fewer toxic emissions and is a popular fuel for |
| Europe with the first models being introduced as | | | | fork-lift trucks that have to operate inside |
| early as 1922 [15] by Peugeot and the first | | | | buildings. |
| production car, Mercedes-Benz 260 D in 1936 by | | | | The hydrogen powered FCHV (Fuel Cell Hybrid |
| Mercedes-Benz. The main benefit of diesel engines | | | | Vehicle) was developed by Toyota in 2005 free |
| is a 50% fuel burn efficiency compared with | | | | articles directory |
| 27%[16] in the best gasoline engines. A down-side | | | | Biofuels |
| of the Diesel engine is that better filters are | | | | Main articles: Biofuel, Ethanol fuel, and biogasoline |
| required to reduce the presence in the exhaust | | | | Ethanol, other alcohol fuels (biobutanol) and |
| gases of fine soot particulates called diesel | | | | biogasoline have widespread use an automotive |
| particulate matter. Manufacturers are now starting | | | | fuel. Most alcohols have less energy per liter than |
| to fit[when?] diesel particulate filters to remove | | | | gasoline and are usually blended with gasoline. |
| the soot. Many diesel-powered cars can run with | | | | Alcohols are used for a variety of reasons - to |
| little or no modifications on 100% biodiesel and | | | | increase octane, to improve emissions, and as an |
| combinations of other organic oils. Gasoline Main | | | | alternative to petroleum based fuel, since they |
| article: Petrol engine | | | | can be made from agricultural crops. Brazil's |
| 2007 Mark II (BMW) Mini Cooper | | | | ethanol program provides about 20% of the |
| Gasoline engines have the advantage over diesel | | | | nation's automotive fuel needs, as a result of the |
| in being lighter and able to work at higher | | | | mandatory use of E25 blend of gasoline |
| rotational speeds and they are the usual choice | | | | throughout the country, 3 million cars that operate |
| for fitting in high-performance sports cars. | | | | on pure ethanol, and 6 million dual or flexible-fuel |
| Continuous development of gasoline engines for | | | | vehicles sold since 2003.[17] that run on any mix |
| over a hundred years has produced | | | | of ethanol and gasoline. The commercial success |
| improvements in efficiency and reduced pollution. | | | | of "flex" vehicles, as they are popularly known, |
| The carburetor was used on nearly all road car | | | | have allowed sugarcane based ethanol fuel to |
| engines until the 1980s but it was long realised | | | | achieve a 50% market share of the gasoline |
| better control of the fuel/air mixture could be | | | | market by April 2008. |
| achieved with fuel injection. Indirect fuel injection | | | | |