Consider the Alternatives:
Alternative Fueled Vehicles and Alternative Vehicle
Fuels
Driving a car fueled by something
other than gasoline or diesel fuel is no longer the
stuff of science fiction. In addition to conventional
gasoline and diesel fuel, reformulated - cleaner - gasoline
and alternative fuels now are sold in many parts of
the country. Alternative fuels such as methanol, ethanol,
compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, and
electricity produce fewer tail pipe pollutants than
conventional gasoline and diesel fuel. Using them could
improve our air quality.
In 1992, Congress passed the Energy
Policy Act to promote the use of alternative fuels.
For example, the law requires owners of fleet vehicles
to purchase a certain number of alternative fueled vehicles.
Congress also directed the Federal Trade Commission
(FTC) to issue labeling requirements for alternative
fuels and alternative fueled vehicles. Two FTC Rules
- the Alternative Fuels and Vehicles (AFV) Rule and
the Fuel Rating Rule - require fuel dispensers and alternative
fueled vehicles to be labeled with information to help
consumers make knowledgeable decisions when it comes
to filling up or buying a vehicle. The AFV Rule applies
to new and used alternative fueled vehicles that are
sold to consumers or leased to consumers for a minimum
of 120 days.
This brochure explains the labels
you'll see on alternative fueled vehicles and alternative
fuel dispensers, and suggests several important factors
to consider as you investigate the options.
Alternative
Fueled Vehicles
AFVs are vehicles that operate on alternative fuels,
such as methanol, ethanol, compressed natural gas, liquefied
petroleum gas, electricity, and others designated by
the U.S. Department of Energy. Some AFVs can run on
conventional fuels, such as gasoline, and alternative
fuels. They are called dual-fueled vehicles.
The required labels must be placed
in plain view on the surface of all new and used AFVs.
The labels on new AFVs must include the vehicle's cruising
range as estimated by the manufacturer and its environmental
impact, as well as general descriptive information.
It's important to know how many miles your new AFV will
travel on a supply of fuel because, gallon for gallon,
some AFVs don't travel as far as gasoline-powered vehicles.
The label's description of the Environmental Protection
Agency's (EPA) emission standard for the vehicle tells
you to what extent the vehicle produces emissions. If
a vehicle meets an EPA emissions standard, a box on
the label will be marked and a caret (^) will be placed
above the particular vehicle's certification standard.
The label shows the levels of emissions standards in
a series of boxes that range from a "Tier l"
vehicle - one with more emissions - to a "ZEV"
- a zero emissions vehicle.
The labels on new and used AFVs also
advise consumers to consider the following items before
buying or leasing an AFV.
- Fuel type. Ask what kind of fuel
powers the vehicle.
- Operating costs. Fuel and maintenance
costs for AFVs may differ from gasoline or diesel-fueled
vehicles.
- Performance/convenience. Vehicles
powered by different fuels vary in their ability to
start when they are cold; their acceleration rates;
the time it takes to completely refill the vehicle's
tank; and how they are refueled.
- Fuel availability. Find out whether
refueling or recharging facilities are available in
your area for the fuel the vehicle uses.
- Energy security/renewability. Consider
where and how the fuel powering the vehicle is produced
so you can anticipate long-term fuel availability
at a reasonable price.
These labels also must include additional
sources of information from the federal government:
The Department of Energy maintains a toll-free National
Alternative Fuels Hotline to answer questions about
alternative fuels, give information about the availability
of alternative fuels in a particular area, and suggest
more sources of information about alternative fuels
and alternative fueled vehicles. The National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration's toll-free hotline offers
information about safety related automobile issues.
In addition, because all vehicles
affect the environment directly (tailpipe emissions)
and indirectly (how the fuel is produced and brought
to market), the labels on used AFVs advise consumers
to compare the environmental costs of driving an AFV
to driving a gasoline-powered vehicle.
Alternative
Fuels
Among the fuels covered by the Fuel Rating Rule and
the Alternative Fuels and Vehicles Rule are methanol,
ethanol, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gases, hydrogen,
coal derived liquid fuels, and electricity. For example,
methanol is an odorless, clear liquid produced from
natural gas, coal, or biomass resources, such as crop
and forest residues. It usually is sold as a blend of
85 percent methanol and 15 percent gasoline. Ethanol,
a liquid produced from grain or agricultural waste,
usually is sold as a blend of 85 percent denatured ethanol
and 15 percent gasoline.
The labels for these fuels are orange
to distinguish them from gasoline octane labels, which
are yellow. They must be placed on the fuel dispenser
so that they are fully visible to consumers.
Gasoline labels tell you the octane
rating. Alternative fuel labels describe the fuel and
its principal component(s). The rating for an alternative
fuel - other than electricity - is the commonly used
name of the fuel and the amount of its principal component,
expressed as a minimum percentage. For electric vehicle
fuel dispensing systems, the fuel rating is a common
identifier - such as electricity - and the system's
kilowatt capacity, voltage, whether the voltage is alternating
or direct current, amperage, and whether the system
is conductive or inductive.
Consider
the Alternatives
Why consider switching to alternative fueled vehicles
or alternative fuels? According to the Department of
Energy, emissions from the 200 million cars and trucks
on U.S. roads - mostly hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides,
and carbon monoxide - account for about 50 percent of
all air pollution and more than 80 percent of urban
air pollution. Driving alternative fueled vehicles could
reduce the level of vehicle emissions, and choosing
domestically produced alternative fuels - instead of
imported oil - could help reduce the trade deficit,
create jobs, and promote economic activity.
At the same time, you should be aware
that some alternative fuels have a lower energy content
than gasoline. On a gallon for gallon basis, some do
not allow consumers to travel as many miles as they
could in a vehicle powered with gasoline or diesel fuel.
In addition, an AFV may cost more than a comparable
gasoline-powered vehicle.
The good news is that you can help
reduce pollution from vehicle emissions even if you
don't choose an AFV or alternative fuel. If you live
or work in an area where air pollution is a continuing
problem, you may be able to find reformulated gasoline
at local service stations. Reformulated gasoline is
conventional gasoline with added oxygen. It burns more
cleanly than conventional gasoline. It is required in
areas with the most serious levels of ozone air pollution
and is being used by choice in others.
For More Information
The Energy Policy Act of 1992 gave the Department of
Energy primary responsibility for telling the public
about alternative fuels and alternative fueled vehicles
and promoting their use. Call DOE's toll-free National
Alternative Fuels Hotline, 1-800-423-1DOE, for Taking
an Alternative Route, a publication that provides more
information about alternative fuels and alternative
fueled vehicles, or visit DOE's Alternative Fuels Data
Center website at
www.afdc.doe.gov. The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration's toll-free hotline is 1-800-424-9393.
For additional information about vehicle safety, visit
NHTSA's website at www.nhtsa.dot.gov.
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