The Greasecar Team working on a vegetable fuel that allows diesel engines to run on straight, filtered vegetable oil. Image via GreaseCar.com
For decades economists, businesses and individuals have shown support for companies that work to make the environment safer. Now, with fuel prices fluctuating wildly and continuing to climb, this desire to be environmentally-responsible has merged with the desire to be financially-responsible, and green technology has flourished in the transportation industry.
Many technological advances have been made throughout the years, starting with converting cars that required leaded fuel to unleaded-fueled vehicles and moving through the years to now being able to convert vehicles that once used fossil fuels to ones that only require used vegetable oil…and the technological advances just keep rolling in!
Fleet Tracking Software
Companies with fleets of vehicles are among those hit hardest by fuel prices. Fuel consumption averages out to a few hundred dollars per week, per truck. Fleet tracking software allows fleet owners to track gas consumption, reroute trips and keep a detailed gas log. Rerouting drivers to shorter paths can eliminate burning excessive gas, as can changing hours of service so drivers aren’t wasting fuel while they sit in rush hour traffic.
This software can also also be used as a budgeting tool. When companies can decide the most fuel-efficient routes and uses for their fleets, it becomes easier to tailor a budget to each business’ specific fuel needs. Fuel prices may not keep fleet owners guessing, but this software won’t.
Hybrid and Electric Cars
Electric cars eliminate a lot of air pollution, protect the environment and give drivers a break at the pump. A long-reaching goal is to manufacture electric vehicles and make them readily available and as affordable as their gasoline-powered counterparts.
Hybrid cars use two or more power sources. While many are still powered by fossil fuels, this usage is minimized by supplementation of an additional form of fuel. This not only cuts down on fuel costs, but it makes these vehicles greener than their counterparts.
Alternative Fuels
More and more car owners are turning to alternative fuels such as hydrogen, natural gas, propane, biodiesel, electricity and ethanol. Biodiesel is well on the way of becoming as popular, as is ethanol. The construction of multiple facilities using corn as a new energy source is well under way; ethanol is made from corn and is known to reduce emissions.
For those with gasoline-powered vehicles who wish they had a more environmentally-responsible option, there are vehicle conversion kits available for natural gas, propane, ethanol, electric and hybrid transformations. Additionally, vegetable oil is beginning to be used as an alternative fuel, with companies like Greasecar and Frybrid offering conversion kits.
Whether you own one vehicle or many, one thing is certain: you’re not happy paying through the nose for fuel. If you also happen to have an interest in being more environmentally-conscious, then emerging green technology undoubtedly has you giddy with excitement. Take a few minutes to learn about these and other green technological advancements, and see what you can do to make the road a greener place to be.
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