Is it possible to run a car off of alternative energy other than ethanol and solar power?
Solar is not practical. Geothermal is not possible for a car. Wind is not practical either. Tidal energy is not possible. Any internal combustion engine will run on propane / methane / natural gas (they are all basically the same thing) with very little modification. The exhaust is a little better than 98% clean. Any internal combustion engine can be modified to burn hydrogen, with warm water vapor as the only exhaust. Any diesel engine can burn cooking oils. Much lower exhaust emissions. Electric cars are possible and do exist, but the costs are high and the maintenance is high. Fuel cell cars are here but are high maintenance and do not perform well in cold temperatures and refuse to operate in very cold temperatures (they freeze solid – water does that).