11. Natural Gas and Diesel Hybrid Electric Vehicles

The main thesis of this book is that we must replace the venerable internal combustion engine with an electric motor if we are to build a truly sustainable transportation system. But, some analysts suggest that natural gas or diesel vehicles powering internal combustion engines could make a contribution to reduce GHG emissions, oil imports, and local air pollution. This chapter compares these two fossil fuels with the other EV options discussed earlier. In order to make the strongest case for diesel and natural gas fuels, we assume that both will be used in hybrid electric vehicles to maximize their efficiency and minimize their greenhouse gas emissions and petroleum consumption, even though no automobile company is known to be developing hybrid vehicles running on diesel fuel or natural gas.