The topic I will write my final paper about is why consumers should support car companies by investing in alternative fuel vehicles sooner rather than later. I will focus the paper towards a younger audience of consumers between the ages of 25-30. These consumers are a few years out of college, have stable jobs, and are looking to buy new cars, possibly their first new car. A goal of the paper is to research some possible alternative fuels and determine which fuel is best for future production. Another goal is to persuade the audience, younger consumers, that investing in alternative fuel vehicles now could save them from crisis later. I will be using different types of arguments in order determine the best alternative fuel and persuade the readers that the goals are possible.

Before a strong argument can be formed a definitional argument must be used to establish some boundaries for alternative fuel vehicles. Vehicles classified as alternate fuel vehicles use fuel sources other than gasoline such as hydrogen, electric, or any other fuel combination to propel a vehicle. The goal is to move away from non renewable fuel sources such as gasoline, while at the same time keeping or improving aspects such as reliability and performance in the vehicle. A causal argument will be used to assert that a much larger issue will arise if nothing preventative is done before there is a real problem. Currently the majority of vehicles are powered by a combustion engine that burn gasoline, a volatile liquid/gas, which is refined from the plummeting crude oil supply. Car companies at the moment are researching and producing hybrid vehicles that use electric motors in combination with a gasoline engine and regenerative braking to achieve better gas mileage. These vehicles are also less harmful to the environment, yet they still rely on gasoline as a fuel. Some consumers are purchasing these hybrid vehicles to try to help offset the increasing high gasoline prices, but by buying a hybrid vehicle they are only putting a temporary band-aid on the problem. Consumers will have little motivation to be active in looking for an alternative fuel vehicle until the price of gasoline becomes so high that they feel they have no other option. This is a problem that must be addressed before it becomes a larger issue. If people could no longer afford gasoline or couldn’t buy it because of a shortage, a gasoline crisis, along with massive amounts of chaos would occur. However, if I can persuade consumers to invest in an alternative fuel vehicle now, before a gasoline crisis could occur, then consumers will already be transitioning over to alternative fuel vehicles by the time gasoline becomes a problem. This issue affects anyone who owns, operates, or rides in a vehicle that is fueled by gasoline making this a relevant problem to nearly everyone. It would be difficult to persuade such a large diverse group in the 10-12 pages given to write the paper. To make this possible I selected a target consumer group to focus the attention of the paper. I will then use an evaluative argument to compare data after researching the different known alternative fuels and methods to power a vehicle. By comparing different fuels to a set of criteria, it will allow me to form a strong argument for which fuel is best suited for future production. A strong counterargument is that if all cars stopped using gasoline, the industry would take a huge downfall causing the loss of a huge economy and source of jobs. I will contest this argument and any others arrayed against me, showing their weaknesses and negating their points.

Arguing my views on alternative fuel vehicles and accomplishing my two goals for the paper will be possible by using a combination of the arguments we’ve learned throughout the class. A strong argument will be able to be made by using an evaluative argument to compare the possibilities for alternative fuel sources. Also by narrowing my audience down to a five year block of prime consumers I am able to focus my efforts on persuading a specific group of people. If I am able to persuade some readers to take on some of my views or convince them that investing in an alternative fuel vehicle now will save them later, then my final paper will be a success.

Nov. 2005 <http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/afv/afvehicles.html>.