Sputnik has compiled a list of things that could be used in lieu of gasoline when we run out of oil. To be honest, some of them are pretty bizarre. But hey, beggars can't be choosers!
A Return to Horsepower
The Dubai-based company Fleethorse has decided there is no reason to re-invent the wheel and that it's just a lot easier to go back to our roots by using horses again. The company has proposed the so-called Naturmobile, a car driven by the single horsepower yielded by a real horse. The vehicle would look Flintstone-esque, because there is an actual horse walking on a treadmill, which in turn is connected to a generator, creating energy for batteries and an electric engine. The Naturmobile is said to have a top speed of 80 km/h, as long as the horse is willing to move, of course.
Biofuel Made From Coffee
Besides fueling us every morning, it turns out coffee could be made into an alternative fuel source. The best thing about this idea is that humanity doesn't even need to waste fresh coffee, as used coffee grounds are more than sufficient, according to researchers from the University of Nevada. The idea is that used coffee grounds can be converted into biofuel when heated in a special oven. If this becomes a reality, it would be good news for coffee companies, like Starbucks and McCafe, which could generate huge profits by selling their leftovers for biofuel.
Compressed Air
The company Tata Motors has come out with a car which is driven on compressed air. The vehicle has air tanks filled with compressed air, which then charge batteries in the car's chassis. These would be driven using a joystick instead of a steering wheel and can move as quickly as 80 km/h; their maximum range is 200 km.
Solar Power
Cars powered by the Sun are no longer a novelty, as the idea has been thrown around for quite a while now. Last year, a solar-powered car drove over 3,200 km (2,000 miles) across Australia. The sun-powered cars seem to be a great invention since they're both clean and free. Well, the only con could be that one can only drive such a vehicle during daylight hours.
Steam
As with horses, with steam-powered cars humanity would be able to rediscover its own history. At the turn of the 20th Century, before the development of gasoline-powered vehicles with internal combustion engines with self-starters, cars with steam engines were very popular. The US-made Stanley Steamer was one of them. Steam-powered engines could be very beneficial, as they can burn garbage and wood.
