If some people already get confused choosing between 95 or 98 octane gasoline, or diesel and biodiesel, etc., imagine if other fuels for cars existed. Well, stop imagining, because they do. That's why we're going to show you the top of the strangest fuels that have been tested for vehicle engines.
If you think the scenes in Back to the Future where they fueled the DeLorean with nuclear fuel or garbage are strange, wait until you see this—Doc and Marty McFly should be worried sick …
Very animal fuels…
Of course, you've probably heard that soybeans and other vegetable oils have been tested to create cleaner diesel fuel, such as biodiesel. However, you might not know that animal fats have also been tested for making these biofuels. Well, that's right.
And, although you may not know it, animal fat from chicken , for example, and that is discarded in other meat industries, can be converted into fuel. Furthermore, it can be used either alone or mixed with fossil fuels (oil) to run in engines that don't require any modifications.
Sawdust
Woodworking shops have been full of fuels and you didn't even know it. Sawdust is also being researched as a fuel source for cars, since the timber industry generates thousands of tons every year that could be put to good use.
Many biomass industries have been using this type of fuel to produce electricity, but projects have also been underway where chemists have successfully converted sawdust into components for creating synthetic gasoline . This is a far cry from the days when early steam engines were powered by wood chips or sawdust…
Corn
Corn, besides being used for popcorn, could also power your car. This sounds far-fetched, but many people already use it without even knowing it. E85 flex-fuel vehicles run on either pure gasoline or E85 ethanol . The latter is a blend of 15% gasoline and 85% ethanol, which is produced from corn.
While this biofuel is also cleaner, its production presents other problems . Besides the higher cost, it requires arable land for cultivation. This can contribute to deforestation or the use of this food for the biofuel industry, reducing production for human consumption.
Hemp (marijuana)
Powering a car with hemp might be a hippie's wet dream, but the truth is, it's entirely possible and affordable. Researchers have discovered that fermented oils from hemp seeds and stalks can be used to create a fuel.
Because it's a plant that's easy to grow and harvest, it can be used to obtain an economical and efficient source of non-fossil fuel. Furthermore, it's also possible to follow the example of corn and obtain ethanol from this plant, making it versatile—and many would like to "inhale" the exhaust fumes from these cars, wouldn't they?
Trash
A Californian waste management company has created one of the world's most innovative and renewable fuel stations, producing one of the rarest fuels from garbage . The gas generated by the landfill is collected, liquefied, and purified to power its own fleet of garbage trucks.
Waste Management, the company we're referring to, claims it can produce up to 50.000 liters of liquefied gas per day , an immense amount of this fuel for its entire fleet. This is drastically reducing the company's emissions and also giving municipal solid waste a new purpose.
And you don't have to look far to see projects like this. SEAT is one of the biggest proponents in Spain of powering vehicles with waste through the Life Methamorphosis project. The idea was to transform various organic waste materials into biofuels, obtaining biomethane from garbage to power gas-powered cars.
Air
Another of the strangest fuels is … air . Yes, air. You have it right outside your window, it's free, and it can power a vehicle. We all know it's been used in boating for a long time to propel sailboats, but it can also be used in cars.
There are vehicles that store high-pressure compressed air on board in special tanks. These cars date back to the 20s. And, although they have problems such as filling the tanks or their safety, the idea is not entirely abandoned, and some companies continue to explore the concept of powering cars with compressed air (using the pressure to drive the piston).
An example of this type of car can be found at Tata Motors . The Indian company has set serious targets for reducing emissions through cars powered by compressed air, and already has some three-seater models that can reach speeds of up to 64 km/h.
Sol
You probably already guessed this: using solar energy to power vehicles. You've likely seen several prototypes of these solar cars. This free energy can be harnessed to produce electricity and power electric motors, or stored in a battery for later use.
Therefore, the sun could be another of the rarest fuels in existence, one that some never imagined could "fill" their car's tank. A practical example is the Aptera Motor project , with its vehicle powered 100% by solar energy thanks to the photovoltaic panels covering its body.
Tea
The Japanese company Genepax has been researching ways to make cars run solely on water, and they also claim to have achieved the same effect with tea . Yes, and it's essentially a hydrogen vehicle, which allows for the separation of hydrogen from water and oxygen to generate electricity in its fuel cell.
Will it also work with beer or wine ? The truth is, many people are terrified of the answer to this question, because the cars could leave them without their favorite beverage… But don't worry, for the moment they haven't said anything about these drinks.
Saltwater
In addition to freshwater, there's also a project that aims to create a car powered by saltwater . This project involves storing water from the abundant sea or ocean, which is then circulated through a membrane to generate energy.
So far, the car project has covered 350.000 kilometers using only saltwater, although it is just a prototype undergoing testing. But, without a doubt, it is an innovative marvel that could solve many problems.
Alcohol
And to round out the list of the strangest fuels, we must also mention alcohol . This idea originated in the 60s, with the aim of making a diesel car run on alcohol as its primary fuel. According to the story, this car managed to travel a few kilometers using tequila as fuel.
As you can see, there's no shortage of ideas about alternative fuels , but some of these projects sound more practical than others. And some could even solve our emissions problems. Will we see any of them succeed? I have no doubt…