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Alternative Fuel Vehicles

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Submitted By c130rod
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Alternative fuel vehicles are defined as those vehicles that run on fuel other than
"traditional" petroleum fuels such as gasoline or diesel. Alternative fuel vehicles also refers to vehicles that supplement gasoline and diesel fuels with other sources of power, as in hybrid electric vehicles.
From a historical standpoint, alternative fuel vehicles have been around for about a century. Early developments were spurred on by profit-seeking entrepreneurs—such was the case of the
Stanley Motor Carriage Company’s steam engine vehicles from the early 1900’s, and as well as by the limited the access to fuel. (Augustine, 2011) When World War II began, fuel became scarce. New innovations for an alternative to gasoline and diesel led to the use of steam powered cars with ordinary internal combustion engines
Today, a number of factors including environmental concerns, increasing oil demand, and rising oil production costs, have caused extensive research and development efforts for cleaner alternative fuels and energy efficient vehicles. In the past few years the demand for alternative fueled has increased with the increase of oil prices. Alternative fueled vehicles are the future mode of transportation for all of us. However, the rate in which alternative fueled vehicles will take over our current vehicles depends on how well these cars are economically feasible and how technologically efficient the vehicles are.
I believe that if the manufacturers can make these alternatively fueled vehicles more financially feasible and affordable for the average blue collar worker, this new mode of transportation will really take off within the United States. Right now, the government is providing a kick back to the consumer if he/she buys an “energy efficient” car. This proposition is off putting to the consumer because you have to wait until your tax refund to even see

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