Report: Honda to Begin Production of E100 Flex-Fuel Cars for Brazil
14 September 2006
The Yomiuri Shimbun reports that Honda will begin producing flex-fuel cars capable of running solely on bioethanol—E100. The report follows Honda’s announcement that it, in partnership with RITE, has developed a process for the production of cellulosic ethanol. (Earlier post.)
Honda had earlier stated in its Annual Report 2006 that it was developing a flex-fuel vehicle for the Brazilian market that operates on any gasoline-ethanol mixture up to E100, and that it expected the vehicle to go on sale this year.
Of the 65,000 or so Civic and Fit models produced in the company’s plant in Brazil, Honda will switch production of about 30,000 to bioethanol cars according to the report.
Honda will become the first Japanese automaker to manufacture an E100 vehicle. Toyota has said that it will introduce E100 flex-fuel vehicles to the Brazilian market in 2007. (Earlier post.)
This competition between Honda and Toyota is excellent. May the best man win! Actually, they are both winners in many ways already in my book. The competition is hot and very good for us all.
And this post after Honda jointly develops what might be a very good way make ethanol out of otherwise (more or less)useless biomass, instead of something people need to eat, like say, corn. I'd feel a whole lot better knowing the ethanol I might use one day came from crab-grass or the weeds in our ditches instead of corn, which makes us all pay much more for our food, at best case scenario.
Posted by: John W. | 14 September 2006 at 01:51 PM
E100 is good because you do not have to go through the dehydration process required for E85 ethanol. It makes the fuel less expensive to make, but requires a starting system for cold weather. Since we can barely supply 3% in the US, it would be quite a while until we have enough E85,let alone E100, or cars that can run it.
Posted by: SJC | 16 September 2006 at 02:49 PM