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The urban mobility electrification has been proposed as the main solution to the vehicle emission issues in the next years. However, internal combustion engines have still great potential to decarbonize the transport sector through the use of low/zero-carbon fuels. Alcohols such us methanol, have long been considered attractive alternative fuels for spark ignition engines. They have properties similar to those of gasoline, are easy to transport and store. Recently, great attention has been devoted to gaseous fuels that can be used in existing engine after minor modification allowing to drastically reduce the pollutant emissions. In this regard, this study tries to provide an overview on the use of alternative fuels, both liquid and gaseous in spark ignition engines, highlighting the benefits as well as the criticalities. The investigation was carried out on a small displacement spark ignition engine capable to operate both in port fuel and direct injection mode.

Hybrid electric vehicles are a suitable solution for the transition from fossil fuels-based transportation to electric mobility. They have the benefits of zero-emissions operation when only the electric engine is used preventing the typical range anxiety of full-electric vehicles. Also, they can have a low battery pack capacity and weight thanks to the continuous recharge from the internal combustion engine that becomes the only responsible for exhaust emissions. A practical solution to limit the combustion engine emissions is represented by the range extender configuration, where the engine works at a fixed operating point with the highest efficiency serving uniquely as a battery charger. In the face of the current world situation and future changes, research for alternative energy sources is crucial. Hydrogen can be used as an alternative fuel for common internal combustion engines; moreover, it has the great advantage of high efficiency (about 44%).