Car Enthusiast's "Path" Forward

Finding themselves fighting overbearing restrictions on gasoline-powered vehicles car enthusiasts find themselves feeling underwhelmed about a bleak personality-less future- but why? The why is “sound”; “revs” seem to have no position in the future. Revs are loud, bold and add a dramatic dimension to the experience of driving. Behind sound comes the uniqueness in the configuration of an engine bay- the number of cylinders, whistling turbos, or whining superchargers. These configurations have wildly varying effects: one could result in a screeching V12 best seen in the likes of Lamborghini and Ferrari or a growly American V8, starkly contrasting the homogeneity found in the effects of EV configuration. Now, how can we reach a solution - one that is eco-friendly yet fills the room with its own noise? There are many prospective solutions, such as utilizing electric motors in a way that complements combustion, renewable fuel, or a long-term solution of hydrogen. But which one is the best? 

     Hydrogen, the most abundant element on earth, is a 100% clean fuel for combustion; though, it has its struggles. Hydrogen is not energy-dense, meaning that it has a low amount of energy usable for combustion per measure of volume compared to traditional fuels like gasoline or diesel. How have organizations tried to combat this: Toyota, a propellant of hydrogen technology, has used extreme cold temperatures to increase the density of hydrogen gas. Though, this approach has the expensive drawback of needing thick insulation to prevent cold escape. Hydrogen has one last major struggle: its sparse supply chain. The issue of energy density returns in this situation because the tanks needed to store the hydrogen need to be much larger and or chilled to store a similar amount of energy to below-ground gas tanks. This irritating scenario causes increased costs for storage, through the necessity for renovations or replacement of existing tanks; ultimately, this causes ambivalence among fuel suppliers wanting to adopt this future fuel. However, there have been early adopters of the hydrogen grid, best seen in urban California where there are more than 50 stations for the nearly 18,000 hydrogen cars in the US. Ultimately, Toyota’s bet on Hydrogen fuel cells seems to be firm and paralleled by other major players in car manufacturing. Best seen through, Hyundai and Honda who are also cranking out new hydrogen vehicles. However, in a market that has not been met with real interest from buyers is it worth the major investments it has received? 

     One way to increase MPG(miles per gallon) while still using traditional fuel is an electric motor that accelerates combustion instead of taking away from it. If the electric motor moved the car it would become a hybrid, instead, this usage of electric motors is much more comparable to the electric motors that move your windshield wiper blades, yet it would boast increases in efficiency or MPG around 15%. One notable example of this approach is Porsche’s e-turbo. Traditionally turbos, a device that makes the process of combustion more efficient by acting like a fan sucking cool air in, are propelled by the car's exhaust (waste air shot out quickly when the engine is used). Though, unsurprisingly, turbos are not efficient when the air shot from the exhaust is slow-moving or when no air is being exhausted - like when the car is at a stop or moving slowly. Porsche's e-motor pivots from the typical, allowing the turbo to instead be propelled by the electric motor at low speeds instead of the weak exhaust, increasing engine efficiency by giving it more fresh air. Many other car companies have invested in similar configurations that accentuate the process of combustion without stealing from the overall experience. But is a 15% reduction in gasoline pollution enough for the e-Turbo to be a strong future alternative? In my eyes, no…

     An eco-friendly option that 21 million vehicles (10% of US vehicles) can utilize is E85 fuel. You may have even seen this one at your local gas station. This option gets rid of 85% of gasoline usage, as it's 85% ethanol -made with waste product from agriculture- and 15% gasoline! Common vehicles such as the Ford F-150 and Chevy Silverado can be optioned for 100-200$ to be capable of running on E85 fuel. Additionally, many cars can receive “tunes”, also known as ECU reprogramming, to become capable of running on E85 after leaving the factory. E85’s benefits include that it is similar in price to gasoline, is a cooler burn than gasoline (releasing less heat during combustion), and - of course- is very eco-friendly. Car enthusiasts have even been purposefully tuning their cars for E85 because it increases horsepower. Though, it has few disadvantages: first, it is less energy dense than gasoline, so expect to get 20% less MPG; second, it is only offered at 2.5% of gas stations; and, third, it is not 100% clean. However, many of these issues have promising solutions.

     In my eyes, E85 is the strongest direction forward for a society that aims not to shush car enthusiasts but to embrace them. E85 is already relatively popular, but it has a lot of room to grow: 10% of vehicles are registered as E85 capable yet only 2.5% of gas stations offer it. There truly is no argument for society against E85 other than resistance to change because everyone wins with it: it combusts like traditional fuel, makes noise, and makes more horsepower. In a quick-action plan, the government could provide tax incentives for the switch, making it more than worth the cost to make your vehicle E85 capable, and, eventually, 100% ethanol could also rise to prominence. Hydrogen and e-Turbo still are also promising, though Hydrogen’s impractical makes it farfetched and the e-Turbo does not provide strong enough changes to fuel emissions. I strongly believe that ethanol is the best of them all in terms of future alternatives and should be publicized as such, an exciting future fuel that does not take away your engine!