Green Transportation Basics

Page numbers in italics refer to illustrations, or text boxes.

A

aerodynamic drag

air conditioning advice

algae, biodiesel source

anaerobic digestion

The Appleseed, biodiesel reactor

B

batteries, lithium ion

battery chargers (EV)

engine components

fuelling stations

net energy efficiency

petro-diesel blends

production, commercial

production, home

safety precautions

building your own

water heater conversion

sources, potential

winterizing agents

emission reduction

See also biodiesel; biomethane;

corn ethanol; ethanol (biofuel);

E85 (fuel); sugar cane ethanol;

vegetable oils (biofuel)

“biofuels corridor,”

sources See also methane; natural gas

Boschert, Sheri

C

CalCars. See The California Cars Initiative (CalCars).

California Air Resources Board zero-emission mandate

The California Cars Initiative

PHEV conversions,

“Can an EV Do the Job for Me?” Home Power, issue 91

carbon deposits

Carvalho, Eduardo, National Sugarcane Agro-Industry Union

catalytic converters

cellulosic ethanol

circuit breakers (EV)

commuter vehicles, green

compressed natural gas (CNG)

compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles

Consumer Reports

continuous variable transmission (CVT)

controllers, EV

conversion companies

conversion kits

ICE vehicles to electric

vegetable oil engines

converting hybrid vehicles to plug-in hybrid electric

converting ICE vehicles to electric

adapting brakes, steering &

author’s car conversion

conversion companies

installation procedure

kits vs components

modifying the tires

converting petro-diesel engines to vegetable oil

kit manufacturers

kits, single-tank

direct or indirect injection

operation and ambient

coolant circulation system

for long distance driving

tanks, diesel and vegetable oil

practical considerations

viscosity/carbon deposits

warranties, car manufacturer

website kit reviews

Co-Pilot Computer Controller

net energy efficiency

corn lobby, United States

cruise control, benefits of

Current EVents, Electric Auto Association newsletter

CVT. See continuous variable transmission (CVT).

D

DaimlerChrysler ESX3

cold weather starts

converting to vegetable oil

fuel injection, DI vs IDI

pre-combustion/swirl chambers See also converting petro-diesel

engines to vegetable oil

diesel hybrid prototypes

diesel-electric hybrid vehicles

drag, aerodynamic

driving habits, greening

dual-fuel vehicles. See flexible-fuel vehicles (FFVs).

E

economic sense of hybrids

eeVee Motors EV conversions

Electric Blue, EV conversions

Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)

electric vehicles (EVs)

conversion kits

electric tractor

electric truck, author’s

history, recent

neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs)

suitability See also converting ICE vehicles to electric

electrical generators/alternators

electricity and gasoline comparative energies

Elsbett, single tank conversion systems

emergency disconnects (EV)

carbon monoxide

nitrogen oxides

soot (particulates)

sulfur dioxides

energy efficiency, net. See net energy efficiency.

energy-efficient gasoline powered cars

engine efficiency

Environmental Protection

biodiesel emissions

illegality of car conversions

mileage ratings, new vehicles

ethanol (biofuel)

chemical formula

cold weather performance

corn and sugar cane

fueling stations

gasoline blends

injection systems

net energy efficiency

and nitrogen oxide

switching to See also corn ethanol; E85

(fuel); flexible-fuel vehicles

(FFVs); sugar cane ethanol

the ethanol corridor

EV. See electric vehicles (EVs).

The Evergreen Institute’s Center for Renewable Energy and Green Building

EV1, electric car

comparative retail costs, US

and engine modification

fueling stations

price vs mileage See also flexible-fuel vehicles (FFVs)

F

FIAT’s Siena Tetra Fuel

flexible-fuel vehicles (FFVs)

Taurus, first FFV

early ethanol cars

Father of PHEVs

Franke, Marc, Iowa Renewable Energy Association

fuel cell vehicles

diesel hybrid comparison

tips See also fuel efficiency;

fuel efficiency

advertising claims

diesel/gasoline/electric

motor comparison

tips See also fuel economy; fuel mileage

fuel equivalency

and aerodynamic drag

as benefit of a series/parallel

economy measurements

idle-off capability

performance comparison

and speed See also fuel economy; fuel efficiency

fuel-efficient vehicles

makes See also energy-efficient gasoline powered cars

FuelMaker, NGV home fuel systems

Fuelmeister, biodiesel reactor

Fuelpod2, biodiesel reactor

“FutureTruck” competitions

G

gas mileage. See fuel mileage.

gasoline and electricity comparative energies

gasoline four-stroke engine

gas-powered vehicles

energy-efficient See also internal combustion engines (ICEs)

Chevrolet Astra (NGV)

EV1 controversy

sustainability criteria

Green Fuels, biodiesel reactor manufacturer

sustainability criteria

greenhouse gas emissions

H

heat exchangers

high-occupancy lanes (HOVs)

Home Power magazine

cost comparison to 4-cylinder Honda Civic

Toyota Prius comparison

NGV home fuel system

hybrid feature continuum

electric-only mode

extended range, plug-ins

idle-off capability

power-assist mode

regenerative braking

hybrid prototypes

hybrid vehicles

descriptions/examples

as economic investment

future improvements

parallel hybrids

plug-in electric

series/parallel hybrids

vs fuel-efficient vehicles See also plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs)

Hybrids Plus, PHEV conversions

hydrogen (fuel)

via reforming methane

water supply/requirements

hydrogen-powered vehicles

fuel systems for -20°F

grid-to-motor efficiency

technology vs PHEV’s

I

ICE. See internal combustion engines (ICEs).

idle-off capability

ethanol blends and cold

internal combustion engines

integrated starter-generators vs regenerative braking

internal combustion engines (ICEs) See also converting ICE vehicles to electric.

K

L

LionEV, EV conversions

liquefied natural gas (LNG)

lithium ion batteries

M

main contactors (EV)

manure, fuel source

ease of distribution

as greenhouse gas

natural sources of

as process heat and electricity

as source of hydrogen as source of raw materials See also biomethane; natural gas

Meyer, Professor Sally

mileage. See fuel mileage.

Mitsubishi, EVs

N

National Ethanol Vehicle Coalitions website

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

National Resources Defense Council

natural gas See also compressed natural gas (CNG); liquefied natural gas (LNG).

natural gas-powered vehicles (NGVs)

neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs)

net energy efficiency

and greenhouses gas emissions

measure of sustainability

production techniques and

net energy yield

NEV. See neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs).

NGV. See natural gas-powered vehicles (NGVs).

nitrogen oxides

O

oils, vegetable. See vegetable oils (biofuel).

P

Pacific Coast Motors, EV conversions

parallel hybrid vehicles

PHEV. See plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).

plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs)

definition/description

as power supply

technology vs hydrogen

Plug-in Hybrids: The Cars that Will Recharge America

polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells

potbox (EV potentiometer)

power splitters

propulsion systems, hybrids

R

reduction gears

regenerative braking

Renault Elect’road

S

series hybrid vehicles

series/parallel hybrid vehicles

South Coast Air Quality Management District

Southern California Edison

speeds, greening

straight vegetable oil (SVO) See also vegetable oils (biofuel).

subsidies, industry

sugar cane ethanol

Brazilian industry

exports to the US

government support

waste/bagasse to power

greenhouse gases

net energy efficiency

research and development

sustainable fuel and vehicle guidelines

sustainable fuels

SVO. See straight vegetable oil (SVO).

SVO: Powering Your Vehicle with Straight Vegetable Oil

sweet spots, vehicle

T

tax credits/incentives

Tesla Motors, EVs

tips, buying/shopping

cost comparison to V-6

PHEV conversions

Honda Civic Hybrid

transesterification reaction

continuous variable (CVT)

conversions, EVs

manual, benefits of

transportation options

V

vegetable oil fueled vehicles

single-tank systems

two-tank systems See also converting petro-diesel engines to vegetable oil

vegetable oils (biofuel)

carbon deposits

contamination of

engine/crankcase oil

straight vegetable oil (SVO)

waste vegetable oil (WVO) See also converting petro-diesel engines to vegetable oil; vegetable oil fueled vehicles

vehicle conversion companies *

Vehicle Log Book, iPhone app

vehicle to grid (V2G) power

VWP, single tank conversion systems

W

waste vegetable oil (WVO) See also vegetable oils (biofuel).

biodiesel, home production

biodiesel fueling station locations

crankshaft animation

cruise control studies diesel engines, how they work

diesel hybrid prototypes

electric vehicles

E85 fueling station locations

flexible-fuel vehicles (FFVs)

fuel economy comparisons

gasoline four-stroke engines,

hybrids, buying

ignition animation

“Who Killed the Electric Car?”

Wolf Pflanzenöltechnik, single tank conversion systems

WVO. See waste vegetable oil (WVO).

Z

Zenn Motor Company, EVs

California’s 1990 mandate

Zipcar, rental car membership company