Rotari Cristian, ITTA-112, FIMT

Rotari Cristian, ITTA-111, FIMT

ECO CARS is a road motor car that produces less harmful
impacts to the environment in comparable than with usual
vehicle running on gasoline or diesel. It uses alternative fuels.
Called also green vehicles, these cars can be powered by
nonconventional fuels and advanced technologies, including
electricity, compressed air, hydrogen, biodiesel, ethanol and
others.
So, depending on used combustion, these alternative
cars are divided into categories:
ELECTRIC CARS first appeared in the mid-19th century, when
electricity was a prospective method for motor vehicle
propulsion, providing a level of comfort and ease of operation
that could not be achieved by any gasoline car of that time. The
internal combustion engine has been the dominant propulsion
method for almost 100 years, but electric power has remained an
ordinary thing in different types of vehicles.
The electric car batteries are their main cost. They provide a
0 to 99.9% reduction in CO2 emission compared to an
internal combustion engine, but is depending on the source
of electricity.
A HYBRID CAR is a vehicle that uses two or more distinct
power sources to move the vehicle.

The term most
commonly refers to a hybrid car, which combine an internal
combustion engine and one or more electric motors.
However other mechanisms to capture and utilize energy
are included.
They are more expensive to purchase but cost redemption is
achieved in a period of about 5 years due to better fuel
economy.
A COMPRESSED AIR VEHICLE is a car that
uses a motor powered by compressed air. The
car can be powered solely by air, or combined
(as in a hybrid electric vehicle) with gasoline,
diesel, ethanol or an electric plant
with regenerative braking.
IMPROVING CONVENTIONAL CARS - a conventional
vehicle can become greener by mixing in renewable fuels or
using less carbon intensive fossil fuel. Typical gasoline-
powered cars can tolerate up to 10% ethanol. Another available
option is a flexible-fuel vehicle which allows any blend of
gasoline and ethanol, up to 85% in North America and Europe,
and up to 100% in Brazil.

Another existing option is to convert
a conventional gasoline-powered to allow the alternative use
of CNG. Pakistan, Argentina, Brazil, Iran, India, Italy and
China have the largest fleets of natural gas cars in the world.
Diesel-powered vehicles can often transition completely
to biodiesel. BIODIESEL is the only fuel allowed in some
North American national parks because spillages will
completely bio-degrade within 21 days. Biodiesel
and vegetable oil fuelled diesel engined vehicles have been
declared amongst the greenest in the US Tour de Sol
competition.
We also have Biodiesel in
Moldova, provided by a
local Gas Station
Company. The biodiesel
is being made from colza
oil.
Chevrolet Volt is a plug in hybrid
car, As of January 2014, the Volt is
the most fuel-efficient car with
a gasoline engine sold in the USA.
While driving, after the Volt battery
has dropped, a small 4 cylinder
engine powers a 55 kW generator to
extend the Volt's range. The vehicle
also has a regenerative braking
system.
Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid
has a range of around 15.5
miles purely under battery
power as an Electric Vehicle.
Combining with the gasoline
engine, Prius has an effective
769 mile range. It first went on
sale in Japan in 1997, making it
the first mass-produced hybrid
vehicle.
This is the new Volkswagen Golf Mk7, electric. The auto constructor from
Wolfsburg have announced on February, 2014 the introduction of this
model in the worldwide market. Its electric engine produces around 85 kW
or 114 Hp and a couple of 270 Nm, sent to front axle.
E-Golf can reach 140
km/h and with only 1
charge, it can drive
around 130-170 km
(depending on drivers
style). So, for travelling
around 100 km it will
cost you only 3.28 Euro.
Peugeot and Citron have built a car that
uses compressed air as an energy source.
However, the car they were designed uses a
hybrid system which also uses a gasoline
engine (which is used for propelling the car
over 70 km/h, or when the compressed air
tank has been depleted).
The consumption of this car is only
2.9l/100km, and emissions of CO2
69g/km.
The Tesla Model S is a full-
sized electric 5-
door hatchback produced
by Tesla Motors. First shown to
the public at the 2009 Frankfurt
Auto Show as a prototype,
retail deliveries started in the
USA in June 2012, in Europe
in August 2013. Tesla has an
electric motor of 310kW and a
battery of 60/85kW.
Extra energy cost of producing and the short lives of some of
these types of vehicle outweigh sometimes the energy
savings made by their using less petroleum during their
useful lifespan;
Less powerful engines and speed;
Some of ecological cars are expensive and non affordable;
The process of supply with alternative fuels is quite difficult,
till now there are no equipped stations for these type of
vehicles .



- Reduction of CO2 emissions and other greenhouse
gases;
Reduction of fuel consumption;
Reduction of air pollution, especially in the big cities;
Low costs of travelling, saving our money up to 65-75%
compared with usual vehicles;
Represent the solution from the fuel crisis that the
society has to face in the upcoming future


PERSPECTIVES FOR THE FUTURE
The Green Technology is deficient at the moment. It
needs to be well-defined till the end. For the next years
we will hear more and more about eco cars, especially
the hybrids, due to the support of many organizations
and governments of different states. Now the
perspective is to create new engines that could achieve
low emission standards, such as Euro 6 or Californias
Zero Emissions.
CONCLUSION
Even a Green Car for many of us is
something new and unusual, nowadays it
is possible to change our auto philosophy,
to transform car manufacture from an
enemy into a friend for our planet. But,
only we can decide if we are ready to go
ahead with it and to step forward!