Hybrid cars use a combination of two types of power sources in most instances. The most common hybrids currently on sale in the market today use both an electric motor and the petrol combustion engine. Batteries are used to charge and act as the main storage device to power the electric motor engine, usually working when the vehicle is moving at low speed or in traffic, this is ideal when driving in cities. The combustion engine is used to recharge the battery cells along with regenerative braking; therefore hybrid cars do not need to be plugged into an external power supply.

Electric cars are powered by an electric motor which gets its power from on board battery packs which act as the main energy storage. Batteries, which usually contain Nickel metal-hydride or Lithium ion are charged by connecting the car to a mains power supply, and it takes overnight to charge fully.

Also on the market today are ethanol powered cars. Ethanol also known as grain alcohol is produced from plant extracts, usually sugar cane. The fuel has a large high octane rating which in turn means high engine efficiency. Ethanol is widely used around the world as a fuel and is increasing has an increased popularity in Europe.

Bio diesel is becoming more popular and is produced from renewable energy sources such as rapeseed, sunflower. Bio diesel environmentally green because it has potential to be carbon-neutral.

Diesel run vehicle sales are on the rise in the United Kingdom as consumers are becoming more cost conscious and the demand for more efficient vehicles is on the rise. Across Europe, diesel sale amount to nearly half of all new vehicles sold on the market today. Diesels operated cars today are30 % more fuel efficient than petrol powered vehicles this is done by using higher compression ratios and higher combustion temperatures.

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