Alternative fuels in the automotive market

A review of the advantages and disadvantages of alternative fuels for roadtransport has been conducted. Based on numerous literature sources and in-housedata, CONCAWE concludes that:· Alternatives to conventional automotive transport fuels are unlikely to make asignificant impact in the foreseeable future for either economic orenvironmental reasons.· Gaseous fuels have some advantages and some growth can be expected.More specifically, compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied petroleumgas (LPG) may be employed as an alternative to diesel fuel in urban fleetapplications.· Bio-fuels remain marginal products and their use can only be justified ifsocietal and/or agricultural policy outweigh market forces.· Methanol has a number of disadvantages in terms of its acute toxicity andthe emissions of “air toxics”, notably formaldehyde. In addition, recentestimates suggest that methanol will remain uneconomic when comparedwith conventional fuels.