Alternatives to the Internal Combustion Engine

Internal combustion (IC) engines have powered vehicles for more than 100 years. In the past few decades, IC engines have acquired a bad reputation for inefficiency and contributing to climate change. Alternatives exist for the IC engine.

Hybrids

Hybrids are a partial alternative to the IC engine; most hybrids use IC engines in conjunction with battery packs and electric motors. Hybrids can help reduce the effects of the IC engine.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell

Hydrogen fuel cells use oxygen and water to operate electric motors, eliminating the need for IC engines. Hydrogen can also be used without a fuel cell and can work with an IC engine as a fuel. Either way hydrogen is used, it eliminates the pollution IC engines normally cause.

Steam

A large debate took place about whether to use steam power or the IC engine to power the first automobiles. Steam power remains a remarkably efficient way of producing power.

Natural Gas

Natural gas is offered as an alternative to the traditional IC engine. While it would use a modified IC engine, the use of natural gas instead of gasoline would improve emissions drastically.

Electric

Electric motors have been around for as long as the IC engine, but their use in vehicles has not been optimized until the past decade. Electric motors are remarkably efficient; the problem has been storing the energy used to power them.

References

• Steam
• Natural Gas