Alternative fuel vehicle

An alternative fuel vehicle is a vehicle that runs on a fuel other than "traditional" petroleum fuels (petrol or diesel); and also refers to any technology of powering an engine that does not involve solely petroleum (e.g. electric car, hybrid electric vehicles, solar powered). Because of a combination of factors, such as environmental concerns, high oil prices and the potential for peak oil, development of cleaner alternative fuels and advanced power systems for vehicles has become a high priority for many governments and vehicle manufacturers around the world.

Hybrid electric vehicles such as the Toyota Prius are not actually alternative fuel vehicles, but through advanced technologies in the electric battery and motor/generator, they make a more efficient use of petroleum fuel.^[1] Other research and development efforts in alternative forms of power focus on developing all-electric and fuel cell vehicles, and even the stored energy of compressed air.

As of 2011 there were more than one billion vehicles in use in the world,^[2][3] compared with over 83 million alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles that had been sold or converted worldwide as of December 2013, and made up mainly of:

• About 34 million flexible-fuel vehicles as of October 2013, led by Brazil with over 23 million units (made of 20 million cars and light duty vehicles, and 3 million flex fuel motorcycles),^[4][5] followed by the United States with almost 10 million flex-fuel cars and light duty trucks,^[6]Canada (600,000),^[7] and Europe, led by Sweden (229,400).^[8]
• 17.8 million natural gas vehicles as of December 2012, led by Iran with 3.30 million, followed by Pakistan (2.79 million), Argentina (2.29 million), Brazil (1.75 million), China (1.58 million) and India (1.5 million).^[9]
• 17.5 million LPG powered vehicles by December 2010, led by Turkey with 2.39 million, Poland (2.32 million), and South Korea (2.3 million).^[10]
• Over 7.5 million hybrid electric vehicles have been sold worldwide as of December 2013, led by Toyota Motor Company (TMC) with more than 6 million Lexus and Toyota hybrids,^[11] followed by Honda Motor Co., Ltd. with cumulative global sales of more than 1.2 million hybrids,^[12][13] and Ford Motor Corporation with more than 292 thousand hybrids sold in the United States up to December 2013.^[14][15][16]The world's best selling hybrid is the Toyota Prius, with 3 million units sold by June 2013.^[17] Global sales are led by the United States with over 3 million units sold by October 2013,^[18] followed by Japan with over 2.6 million hybrids by September 2013,^{[19][20][21][22][23]} and Europe with more than 650,000 units by August 2013.^[21][24]
• 5.7 million neat-ethanol only light-vehicles built in Brazil since 1979,^[25] with 2.4 to 3.0 million vehicles still in use by 2003.^[26][27] and 1.22 million units as of December 2011.^[28]
• Over one million plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) sold worldwide by the end of December 2013. Most electric vehicles in the world roads are low-speed, low-range neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs), with about 479,000 NEVs on the road by 2011.^[29] In addition, just in China, a total of 200,000 low-speed small electric cars were sold in 2013.^[30] As of December 2013, over 405,000 highway-capable plug-in electric passenger cars and light utility vehicles have been sold worldwide.^[31] Plug-in car sales are led by the United States with over 170,000 units delivered since 2008, followed by Japan with over 71,000 units since 2009, China with about 38,600 units since 2011, the Netherlands with 28,673 units since 2009, France with 28,560 all-electric cars and light utility vans since 2010, and Norway with 20,486 plug-in electric vehicles since 2003.^[32] As of mid January 2014, the world's best selling highway-capable plug-in electric car is the Nissan Leaf all-electric car, with 100,000 units sold worldwide by mid January 2014,^[33]followed by the Volt/Ampera family of plug-in hybrids, with combined sales of about 70,000 units sold by January 2014,^[34] the Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid with about 48,600 units sold by December 2013,^[35] and the Mitsubishi i-MiEV family of electric car and vans, with global cumulative sales of more than 36,000 units through October 2013.^[36]

An environmental analysis extends beyond just the operating efficiency and emissions. A life-cycle assessment of a vehicle involves production and post-use considerations. Acradle-to-cradle design is more important than a focus on a single factor such as the type of fuel.