Hydrogen, Hybrid, Electric - alternative fueled vehicles are certainly in the news these days.  Al Gore and others have put the term 'Carbon Footprint' in everyone's vocabulary and awareness is increasing on the impact our decisions have on our environment and our future.

 

Unfortunately, its also generating a lot of 'expert' opinions on issues without any real science.   There is evidence lacking on the COMPLETE enviro impact on many of the so called 'solutions', for example, what is the overall impact of an electric vehicle when you include the manufacture and disposal of the batteries ?

 

Lets do some quick comparisons on emissions, as an example. 

 

FIRST, it is crucial to understand - buring a gallon of gas in an internal combustion engine generates Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Nitrous Oxide (NOx) , Carbon Monoxide (CO) and Hyrocarbons (HC). 

 

Carbon  DIOXIDE will be generated at roughtly 19lb of CO2 per gallon of gas burned - this is the same for a bus, boat , train, whatever, it doesnt change - higher fuel efficiency gives lower CO2 output.

 

Toyota Prius Hybrid - the most widely known hybrid

 

l/100 km - 4.3

CO2 emissions - 104 g/km

CO emissions - .18 g/km

HC emissions - .02 g/km

NOx emissions - 0.01 g/km

 

 

I ride a Yamaha BWS 50 scooter - one of the more popular scooters in North America - albeit a TWO stroke

 

l/100km - 2.2

CO2 emissions - 50 g/km

CO emissions - 4 g/km

HC emissions - 1.1 gm/km

NOx emissions - .06 gm/km

 

Hydro carbons are generated from fuel evaporation and incomplete fuel combustion - so, by design, this would always be true of a 2 stroke engine which will always have unburned fuel in the exhaust ! Not a good thing of course !!

 

New technology has electronically controlled two stroke engines with catalyzers on exhaust and these numbers are being lowered considerably.

 

Lets think about a couple of things also:

 

-2 strokes burn their lubricating oil in the combustion process, mine seems to use 1 litre of oil for around 1000 km.  A car is scheduled for oil change every 5000 km and takes about 5 litres of oil.  SO, both are consuming 1 litre of motor oil per 1000 km .  The scooter burns it which generates emissions - the car has it removed, so it can go... where does it go ?? Hopefully into a recyling process !! It is also spilled, leaked, etc through that process, and there is also an oil filter which is disposed of when the oil change is done.