Alternative Fuel Feasibility Research Paper

Alternative Fuels

Brazhia Wren, Adrian Loftis, Scott Hill, Cynthia McCabe

COMM/215

January 14, 2013

Sharmila Mukherjee

Introduction

        This paper is about formulating an assessment for Lotus Rental Car’s on the possibility of adding alternative fuel vehicles.  There are numerous alternative fuels that vehicles use like, ethanol, biodiesel, natural gas, propane, and hydrogen.  There are good benefits and difficulties when selling cars that use alternate fuel (Alternative Fuels, 2008).  By adding a different variety of vehicles that use different fuel the cost can be good or bad.  The benefits and economical value of vehicles that use alternate fuel of adding vehicles that use alternate fuels to Lotus Rental Car’s.  Several companies are researching the benefits of moving to alternative fuels for their fleet vehicles in an effort to save their company money and contribute to lessening the carbon footprint from emissions.  Strong evidence will show how alternative fuels will allow the accomplishments of the company’s goals.  The evidence will show some difficulties with alternative fuels and how those difficulties can be dealt with.  There have been many people who have stated their objections about the pollution throughout the entire country.  Most vehicles use regular petroleum fuels and tend to be very damaging and toxic discharges into the environment, which causes permanent effects to the environment.  Petroleum fuels bring up concerns with global warming and other health concerns to our nation.  If Lotus car rental approved to sell an alternative fuel fleet of vehicles, the company would be implementing to the world new ways to have a safer environment.  There are many Americans who are strong believers of making the environment a safer place for their families.  By adding alternative fuel vehicles people would be thrilled to know that buy purchasing an alternative fuel vehicle that they would be helping the air and the environment.  Lotus car rental would build even more clientele because the Go Green clients would be ecstatic to purchase an eco-friendly motorized vehicle.

Alternative Fuels

Six alternative fuels are available for The Lotus Rental Car Company to choose; biodiesel, electric, ethanol, hydrogen, natural gas, and propane.  The United States Government has created incentives to use certain fuels based on several factors.  A few of those factors include monetary stipends and tax breaks.  Deciding which alternative fuel vehicles to invest in is not one to take lightly or make without extensive research.  For example, the electric car has been around for over a decade and is more efficient to operate than the traditional type fuels, but the initial cost, maintenance, and charging stations have proved to be expensive (Energy & Capital, 2013).  Although Dow Energy Materials and BASF are continuing to invest in electrolyte, anode, and cathode material research and development in the effort to further develop electric vehicles (EV), the industry wide interest has decreased.  Volkswagen and BMW have introduced seven EV models for 2013 which will double the market and give consumers more model choices.  North America will see an over 50% increase in e-bikes for 2013.