Bio-Diesel Cars

In the search for alternative fuels, biofuels are a central idea for many looking to lessen the dependency on petrol. Biofuels are created from biological ingredients rather than fossil fuels, and one biofuel, bio-diesel, is already making significant impacts on the environmental impacts of some drivers.

Bio-Diesel Fuels

Biodiesel is an alternative to typical diesel fuel. Standard diesel fuel is made from petroleum, or crude oil, whereas bio-diesel is made from plant oils or animal fats. It's created through a series of chemical reactions and is non-toxic and easily renewable. Simple recycling is enough to replenish the sources of bio-diesel fuel. Bio-diesel, which can be made from soybeans, also helps support agriculture - an added benefit of the fuel. Bio-diesel is biodegradable, nontoxic ad free of sulfur and other aromatics.

The most promising thing about bio-diesel is that it can be used in diesel engines with little or modification. A bio-diesel car can be virtually any car outfitted with a diesel engine. The bio-diesel fuel can be used in a pure form, but more often than not, it's blended with standard diesel fuel. When bio-diesel is blended, it's shown with the abbreviation B## where the # is the percentage of bio-diesel blended into standard diesel fuel. B20 is the most common blend of Bio-diesel which means 20 percent of the fuel is bio-diesel and 80 percent standard petroleum-based diesel. B100 would be pure bio-diesel.

The term bio-diesel isn't a loose term that applies to any conglomerate of diesel fuels. A formal definition is recognized by ASTM International. According to the National Biodiesel Board, bio-diesel is "a fuel comprised of mono-alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids derived from vegetable oils or animal fats, designated B100, and meeting the requirements of ASTM D 6751." In laymen's terms, bio-diesel can be made from numerous natural sources including soybeans, peanuts, animal fats and even recycled cooking grease.

Driving a Bio-Diesel Car

To drive a vehicle fueled with bio-diesel, you'll be looking for a compression-ignition engine, otherwise known as a diesel engine. Many car manufacturers are producing new vehicles already converted for bio-diesel fuels, but a conversion kit installed at home or with a certified mechanic can convert any diesel vehicle into a bio-diesel car.

Bio-diesel cars have tremendous advantages over traditional petrol cars or even those fueled by diesel engines. Bio-diesel cars have significantly fewer emissions and not only drive just as well, don't have the heavy soot and petrol smell of standard diesel engines. In fact, bio-diesel cars have been described as smelling like popcorn as they drive about town.