The use of alternative fueled vehicles has taken on new angles and dimensions in recent years. This is primarily due to tougher government regulations on vehicle emissions. But one has to realize that the use of vehicle propulsion systems
other than gasoline and diesel, has been around for the last one hundred years. The use of propane powered vehicles has prospered for the last 25 years. The use of alternative fueled vehicles has become a mandatory program for automobile manufacturers and owners of large fleets due to emissions standards and the Federal Clean Air Act.
Gasoline has undoubtedly been to the most popular choice of fuel since the invention of the internal combustion engine. Gasoline, in recent years, has endured some major reformation.
Several components, such as lead have been removed. But at the same time, components have been added for the required special care, for us, the emergency responders. The fuels of today are blended as reformulated and oxygenated fuels.
Today's vehicles are being built to operate on several fuels, such as propane, compressed natural gas, liquified gas, electricity (both lead and gel type batteries), alcohol, bio-diesel (blended fuel), and the hybrid vehicles that use a small combustion engine to power an electric generator. Another form of fuel is the hydrogen fuel cell that produce hydrogen from gasoline.
Todays gasoline is continuously being reformulated to burn cleaner. A basic additive in gasoline is Methyl Tertiary Butyl
Ether (MTBE). Gas is also being oxygenated with alcohol or methanol. The percentage of alcohol or methanol in today's gasoline can vary from 2%-23% in some cases, Many of the fueling stations selling reformulated fuels will post notices on such, while ones using oxygenated fuels will not. A major concern for emergency personnel, when responding to situations involving reformulated or oxygenated fuels, is the need for a polar solvent foam for effective extinguishment of fires. These types of fires could pose the same problems to emergency personnel as alcohol fires. The flames may not always be visible, with little or no smoke, and water may have little or no effect on these types of fires.
Additives, such as methanol or ethanol will be more prevalent during the warmer months, due to their higher flashpoints. A fuel called bio-diesel is a blend of regular diesel fuel and vegetable oils or animal fat. This reduces the sulfur content, thus making it a cleaner burning fuel. Any fire involving this fuel should be treated as a flammable liquid fire.
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