The ethanol car is quickly becoming option in 2007.
The pressure on the US to use ethanol alcohol fuel as a substitute for oil imports is becoming stronger. Flexible fuel vehicles also know as hybrid vehicles can help to provide a solution, the ethanol
car can also play a major part in the energy alternatives debate. It looks like ethanol fuel is here to stay and the US as approximately five million flexible fuel vehicles that can run on fossil (petroleum) fuel as well as blended ethanol known as E85.
Due to constant price increases of gasoline and an increased awareness of global warming, pollution, and environment issues in general, the ethanol car is becoming a more and more popular option.
Ethanol is most commonly used as a mixture known as E10, which is 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline and it usually doesn't required any adjustment for a car's engine to run on this mixture. However, it would be a good idea to check with your local garage before changing to ethanol fuel.
It is now up to the larger manufacturers such as Ford and General Motors and Toyota to take the lead by designing and manufacturing more eco friendly cars such as the ethanol car and not to depend totally on fuel imports from the Middle East to power their vehicles. With this in mind, Ford has unveiled its ethanol power SUV and the hybrid Ford Escape that can use E85 fuel. Its seems this is part of Ford's development program which will give the consumer ethanol cars such as these, sooner rather than later.
Both Ford and General Motors have promised to design and build more ethanol cars or flexible fuel vehicles especially as figures show that the US can save a barrel of oil for every 37 gallons of E85 being used.
Manufacturers are now being pressurized to build the ethanol car:
A unusual ethanol car named the Lotus Exige 265E that weighs 2,050 pounds, and can output 265 horsepower at 8000 rpm is, according to its manufacturer the fastest ethanol car in the world that runs on E85.
The Lotus Exige 265E ethanol car can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than four seconds and reaches 100 miles per hour in less than ten seconds, and as a top speed of 158 miles per hour. Although, at the moment, this car will only run on ethanol, there is development work being done at the manufacturers to enable this ethanol car to run on different fuel types instead of just E85.
After all, because of gas prices today, ethanol is definitely looking to be the better buy. However, besides the economic issues another attraction of ethanol fuel is its inherent safety, also most cars will run on fuel blends of up to ten percent ethanol. Although, cars will require some modifications to run on higher blends like E85. So it would seem the focus should be to get car manufactures to make a car that will run on a mix of 85% ethanol and only 15% fossil fuel.
One person has commented on this article. No.1 Untitled
 i think one could talk about the negative effects on ethonal fuel for example if corn farmers see more money is in the fuel industry, less will sell corn. this would make (already dependant) USA look for corn some where else |
