Lost among all the endless electric car hype at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show
was that other alternative energy: Ethanol.
You remember Ethanol right? It's sort of like gasoline except for the oil-pumped-out-the-Middle-East part. It was supposed to help wean us off foreign oil, but so far it's merely been a good way of keeping corn farmers in business.
Lower gas prices and limited availability have left Ethanol on the sidelines, but GM is still aiming to make 50% of its fleet Ethanol capable by 2012. Ford has several flex fuel capable models as well, but as Jim Farley, Ford's executive vice president of marketing communication, told Green Car Advisor, ""...now the mojo is behind electrification technologies."
GCA: Ethanol Not Forgotten, but Electricity Captures Center Stage at Auto Show
billt9 says:
02:17 PM, 01/16/09
What was the cost on this? $200 per vehicle?
Why not, keep the flexibility.
estreka says:
06:42 PM, 01/17/09
"...now the mojo is behind electrification technologies."
What Detroit has failed to realize is that electric vehicles have been the standard for quite some time. The Prius wasn't born yesterday.
On a side note, I really hope GM is successful with their cellulosic research. It looks promising.
brn says:
07:16 AM, 01/19/09
Name one alternative production automobile technology that's more efficient than gasoline. There are none. Ethanol comes as close as any of them. I'm not going to say I'm a huge fan, but I think Ethanol gets a bum rap.
estreka writes: "Prius wasn't born yesterday."
Neither was the EV1 or the EV Ranger. This is hardly a Detroit thing.
estreka says:
09:30 PM, 01/20/09
That's precisely my point. If GM had continued production of the EV1, I think it would have been a sales success. If nothing else it would have been the kind of marketing money just can't buy.
/soapbox