News & Blogs

Videos

Forums

Tools

KBB Green Glossary

Hybrid Cars

Diesel Cars

Ethanol Cars

| Sign Out

| My KBB

| Sign In

| Create Account

| My KBB

ZIP Code:

Free Dealer Price Quote

KBB Green Glossary

Jump to: ABC | DEF | GHI | JKL | MNO | PQRS | TUV | WXYZ | View All

Active Fuel Management (AFM)

GM’s name for cylinder deactivation.

AdBlue

Mercedes’ urea solution, used to reduce emissions in its BlueTEC diesel vehicles.

Alternative fuels

Non-petroleum fuels such as hydrogen, ethanol or compressed natural gas that have renewability or emissions advantages over gasoline and diesel.

Battery electric vehicle

An all-electric vehicle that relies on external sources for its power

Biodiesel

A renewable, biodegradable alternative fuel obtained from plant oils.

Biofuel

A renewable alternative fuel produced from plants or food waste products. Ethanol and biodiesel are the most commons biofuels.

BlueTEC

Mercedes’ umbrella moniker for clean diesel vehicles and technology

Carbon buying/offsetting

Financially supporting an activity (such as a wind farm or reforestation) that helps to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in order to make up for the carbon footprint of an individual or business.

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

A naturally-occurring, colorless and odorless chemical compound produced by plants and animals. A so-called “greenhouse gas,” CO2 is also produced through the burning of wood and fossil fuels, and many believe that a high concentration in the atmosphere contributes to global warming.

Carbon footprint

The amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere either directly or indirectly by an individual or entity. Measurements are made in tons of carbon dioxide.

Carbon neutral

Balancing the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere with the amount of carbon offset, achieving a zero, or neutral balance.

Cellulosic ethanol

A biofuel that can be produced from wood and grass more efficiently than starch-based ethanol commonly made from corn

Clean diesel

A term used in association with today’s ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel and the new generation of cleaner diesel-powered vehicles

CNG (Compressed Natural Gas)

As a domestically produced fuel that burns cleaner than gasoline, CNG is popular with environmentalists

CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission)

Instead of five or six (or seven or eight) gears, a CVT seamlessly provides an infinite number of ratios, allowing the engine to operate more frequently in its most efficient ranges

Cylinder Deactivation

A fuel-saving feature that cuts fuel delivery to some of an engine’s cylinders in light-load cruising situations, allowing an eight-cylinder engine, for instance, to run on four cylinders

Direct injection

A fuel delivery system in which gasoline is injected directly into the combustion chamber, increasing both power and efficiency.

E85 fuel

The term for an alternative fuel blend of 85 percent renewable ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.

EcoBoost

Ford Motor Company’s collective name for the use of turbochargers and direct injection together in their gasoline engines to improve fuel economy while maintaining performance

Ethanol

Produced from plants, this high-octane ethyl alcohol fuel is a clean-burning alternative fuel. In the United States, it is most commonly available as E85 fuel

EV (electric vehicle)

A vehicle that runs on electricity alone

FFV (Flex-fuel vehicle)

A vehicle with an engine designed to run on more than one type of fuel, such as ethanol and gasoline

Fossil fuels

Formed from the remains of plants and animals, fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas are still used as the world's primary source of energy. When burned, they release greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which may contribute to global warming.

Fuel cell

A unit that generates electricity by creating a chemical reaction between oxygen and, most commonly, hydrogen. The “exhaust” from a hydrogen fuel cell is water.

Global warming

An increase in the Earth’s near-surface and oceanic temperatures that many believe to be caused by man’s production of greenhouse gasses.

Greenhouse gases

Gases, including water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone and CFC’s, which cause a greenhouse effect on Earth. Many believe the planet is warming, and that man’s increased contribution of greenhouse gasses is to blame.

Hybrid

A vehicle propelled by a combination of power sources, such as a gasoline engine with electric motor assistance, to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions.

Hydrogen

The most abundant element in the universe.

Hydrogen vehicle

Some hydrogen vehicles burn hydrogen like gasoline, while others use is it to generate electricity via a fuel cell. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles emit only water as “exhaust” and are considered zero emissions vehicles.

Hypermiling

The “sport” of maximizing fuel economy via techniques (many of them not recommended) such as turning off the engine while coasting, driving behind large vehicles to reduce or eliminate wind resistance, etc.

Lithium

Lithium-based batteries promise greater capacity than the nickel-metal hydride batteries common in today’s hybrid vehicles, and will be a big step toward more electricity-intensive transportation.

Mild hybrid

Unlike so-called “full hybrid” vehicles, mild hybrids don’t have enough battery capacity or electrical power to run on electricity alone.

Multiple Displacement System (MDS)

Chrysler LLC’s name for cylinder deactivation

Nickel-metal hydride

The most common battery technology found in hybrid vehicles today

Nitrous oxide (N2O)

A chemical compound produced naturally by the breakdown of nitrogen in soils and in the oceans, N20 is also produced by fuel combustion in cars and some consider it to be another contributor to global warming

Off the grid

To live off the grid is to generate all the electricity one needs via solar, hydro and/or wind power, disconnected from utility companies

Parallel hybrid

The most common hybrid system today has both power sources connected to the drivetrain

Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (PZEV)

Per the California Air Resources Board, a gasoline engine that meets SULEV tailpipe emissions standards, emits zero evaporative emissions and has a 15-year, 150,000-mile warranty on the emissions equipment

PHEV (plug-in hybrid vehicle)

A hybrid vehicle with greater batter capacity than traditional hybrids, allowing it to travel on electricity alone (with limited range) after an overnight charge from a home electrical outlet, for instance

Renewable fuels

Unlike fossil fuels such as petroleum and natural gas, of which there are finite amounts on the planet, renewable fuels can be “grown” or otherwise replenished in short order

Series hybrid

In a series hybrid, one power source motivates the vehicle, while the second power source charges or otherwise empowers the first. Range-Extended Electric Vehicles, for instance, are essentially electric vehicles that charge their own batteries via an on-board internal combustion generator.

Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (SULEV)

Per the California Air Resources Board, vehicles that emit significantly lower levels (up to 90-percent lower) of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, particulate matter and nitrous oxides into the air than an average new vehicle

Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (ULEV)

Per the California Air Resources Board, this type of vehicle produces 50 percent less emissions than the average new vehicle. Hydrogen fuel cell and all-electric vehicles fall into this category.

Urea

An aqueous solution now being injected into the exhaust streams of diesel vehicles to reduce emissions

VCM (Variable Cylinder Management)

Honda’s name for fuel-saving cylinder deactivation

Zero emissions vehicle (ZEV)

Per the California Air Resources Board, this type of vehicle produces 98 percent less emissions than the average new vehicle. Hydrogen fuel cell and all-electric vehicles fall into this category.