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Honda Launches Production Of 2nd Flex-Fuel Model In Brazil
11 December 2006
Nikkei. Honda Motor has begun manufacturing a flexible-fuel version of the Fit subcompact at its plant in Brazil. It is the second flex-fuel car to be produced at the factory following the Civic compact sedan, which it started to make in November. (Earlier post.)
In Brazil, flex-fuel vehicles account for almost 80% of all new car sales. Honda plans to expand its flex-fuel presence in that market before marketing similar models in North America and elsewhere.
The Brazilian plant can now turn out a total of 78,000 Civics and Fits annually, but Honda plans to expand the facility in August 2007 to increase its annual output capacity to 100,000 units.
Of the 80,000 vehicles Honda plans to sell inside the country, 30% are expected to be flex-fuel models, which typically cost more than gasoline-powered cars.
Toyota Motor plans to produce a flex-fuel model of the Corolla sedan as early as the beginning of next year.
December 11, 2006 in Brazil, Ethanol | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)
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Comments
Flex fuel Fit & Honda, why not they bring it to US.
After all, E85 stations are growing rapidly.
I think Japanese are the last to offer Flex fuel in Brazilian market, when they offer, all vehicles sold there will be flex-fuelled.
Brazil is doing great.
Posted by: Max Reid | Dec 11, 2006 3:25:01 PM
FFV do not cost much more to make than the same non FFV model. I have heard costs around $300 per car. We could and should make all our cars FFV. 10 years from now we would have a fleet of FFVs that could take alternate fuels.
Posted by: SJC | Dec 11, 2006 4:45:17 PM
This fits in with the item about Mitsui and Petroras shipping ethanol to Japan.
Posted by: Neil | Dec 11, 2006 5:13:27 PM
Ffv is a technology which should help you sleep better at night.
Better again would be a simple way of doing 3 way FFV: CNG, Ethanol and gasoline. If you had a way of installing / removing the gas cylinder, you could have all your boot(trunk) space available when the gasoling flowed and could use CNG when the gasoline was scarce.
Or you could use CNG in cities for emissione reasons and gasoline on longer runs where you might need more storage space.
Posted by: mahonj | Dec 12, 2006 1:30:11 AM
Mahonj
Brazil also has FFV - Trifuel vehicles which can run on Gasolene, Ethanol & CNG.
In Europe Bi-Fuel vehicles are quite commong. Fitting them with Ethanol kit wont cost much.
Posted by: Max Reid | Dec 12, 2006 9:25:58 AM
Does anyone know that parts are needed to convert a fix into a flex fuel vehicle?
Posted by: Rey | Mar 7, 2007 9:02:00 AM
