Eco Mark Project

Types of alternatively fuelled vehicles

Electric:
Electric vehicles are powered by a battery which supplies electricity to the engine. This means that they produce no tailpipe emissions.

If you use green electricity (electricity that comes from renewable sources such as wind turbines) the cars produce no emissions at all. Most electric vehicles can be charged from a normal 13amp socket.

Gas:
These vehicles are powered by gaseous fuels (for example liquid petroleum gas or compressed natural gas). Liquid petroleum gas (LPG) is by far the most popular type of gas powered car.

You can either buy a new LPG fuelled vehicle or convert your existing vehicle. They cost, on average, 30% less to run than petrol. LPG vehicles emit less pollutants than petrol and diesel and they also have much lower carbon dioxide emissions.

Hybrid:
Hybrid vehicles employ a parallel hybrid system in which a petrol, diesel or gas engine provides the main power to the vehicle with an electric motor assisting when needed.

The efficiency of the technology leads to lower emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide than from ordinary petrol or diesel vehicles, (examples of hybrids are the Toyota Prius, Honda Insight or Honda IMA).

Hybrids use regenerative braking – when you brake the energy is put back into the battery.