Eco Friendly Cars

How to Buy a More Eco-Friendly Car

By Jane Simpson

Whether your aim is to save money on gas or to reduce your impact on the planet, buying an environmentally-friendly car is becoming more of a viable option. For some, it can be a difficult leap of faith to take, but by following the advice given below, buying an eco-friendly car can be a worry-free process.

Fuel

Consider what energy source is most preferable in a car. There are various options that are greener than traditional fossil fuels. They all have positives and negatives, so research them and decide which is best suited to your driving habits.

Biodiesel

A combination of diesel fuel and vegetable oil. Vehicles powered by biodiesel have lower emissions. Another big advantage is the engines of these vehicles can easily switch between regular diesel and biodiesel. It is better for the environment and vehicles using this usually get better mileage. It should be noted the vegetable fuel may have problems during very cold temperatures in the winter because it will become more viscous.

Natural gas

It’s a fossil fuel but burns cleaner than others. It’s cheaper than gasoline and the clean burning allows vehicles to last longer. Unfortunately, there are few vehicles that currently use it, they have a reduced range and refueling stations are limited.

Ethanol

A fuel additive used in conjunction with gasoline, ethanol increases the octane levels and reduces emissions. The most popular brand is E85, which costs less than regular gasoline. It also helps farmers since it is crop-based. Vehicles using E85 can use regular gasoline if necessary. Currently, there are few E85 refueling stations, but the number is growing.

Electric

There’s been a push lately toward electric cars and tax credits may even be available for the purchase of one. They can be cheaper to refuel than gasoline cars, burn cleaner and require less maintenance due to the lack of internal combustion. They currently have shorter ranges and a higher sticker price than conventional vehicles.

Hybrids

By capturing energy that is used when the vehicle brakes and storing it in batteries instead of using fuel whenever possible, these vehicles save on gas and are better for the environment. They use traditional gasoline, run quieter than normal cars and get great mileage. The purchase price is a little higher and it isn’t clear how long the batteries will last.

Other options

Fuel standards

The current administration is pushing for better gas mileage standards for traditional gas-using vehicles. Check out the labels on the cars to find vehicles with the best mileage, which will use less gas.

Calculate

With so many options available, affordability may be the deciding factor. Use a car loan calculator to determine which vehicle fits into your budget.

Buying an environmentally-friendly vehicle is becoming easier as more choices become available. Proper research should be done to determine the best options, including what’s affordable on your budget and proximity of refueling stations. Finding the right “green” car for the money is a matter of knowing the area where it will be driven and what works best for each driver.

This is a guest post by Jane Simpson, who believes that even if a new eco-friendly vehicle is out of your price range we can all reduce our emissions by adopting greener driving habits.