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Why are all ethanol cars in the US beasts?

14 messages,  Last post on Dec 21, 2007 at 11:44 AM

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#2 of 14 Re: Why are all ethanol cars in the US beasts? [bemanix88] by gagrice Apr 11, 2006 (4:01 pm)
Replying to: bemanix88 (Apr 11, 2006 3:19 pm) It's all politics man. GM is using their 5.3L V8 because it was easy to convert to a FFV. Say they build a Corolla that normally gets 30/38, with E85 it will get about 22/28 MPG. Add to that Ethanol is more expensive everywhere except in CORN country. The current high price is based on corn selling for $1.94 a bushel. What happens when farmers get a decent price for corn? Right today they cannot produce enough ethanol for the mandated E10 sold in most states. Toyota has already said they are not going to build a FFV. Their contribution is the Prius. Replies to this message: uniongodess (Apr 26, 2006 10:33 am) gem069 (May 22, 2006 8:02 am)
#3 of 14 Re: Why are all ethanol cars in the US beasts? [gagrice] by uniongodess Apr 26, 2006 (10:33 am)
Replying to: gagrice (Apr 11, 2006 4:01 pm) Ethanol started as a alternative fuel for farms where the corn are grown so US beasts they are. Replies to this message: gem069 (May 22, 2006 8:02 am)
#4 of 14 Re: Why are all ethanol cars in the US beasts? [uniongodess] by gem069 May 22, 2006 (8:02 am)
Replying to: uniongodess (Apr 26, 2006 10:33 am) Ethanol started as a alternative fuel for farms where the corn are grown   This is true but and the big auto companies also did flez fuel because of CAFE standards and with FlexFuel vehicules they got credit and helped their CAFE level. However, since gas has gone way up, people started to complain and the auto companies started thinking...... hummmm maybe since we have the proven technology in Brasil and it can be applied in the USA, we could do some ot that here? As has been stated by the CEO of GM.
#5 of 14 Re: Why are all ethanol cars in the US beasts? [bemanix88] by lemming Jul 14, 2006 (12:51 pm)
Replying to: bemanix88 (Apr 11, 2006 3:19 pm) Why Why Why indeed. I want an E85 car because I think that is all that is going to be available sometime in the near future. But I sure don't want atwo ton truck.   My dream car right now would be a Prius that runs on E85 and electric. Solves the pollution problem at highway speeds.   Right now the Chevrolet sellers are saying they don't have a flexfuel Impala just the Avalanche. The goyellow campaign is just a farce-a smokescreen . sigh   Someone has to move this technology forward-the auto manufacturers or the oil companies like BP and Shell who talk it up but don't have the structure in place anywhere yet. Replies to this message: gagrice (Jul 14, 2006 3:13 pm) markcincinnati (Aug 19, 2006 7:08 am) fushigi (Aug 23, 2006 2:33 pm) markcincinnati (Aug 24, 2006 11:18 am)
#6 of 14 Re: Why are all ethanol cars in the US beasts? [lemming] by gagrice Jul 14, 2006 (3:13 pm)
Replying to: lemming (Jul 14, 2006 12:51 pm) Right now the Chevrolet sellers are saying they don't have a flexfuel Impala just the Avalanche. The goyellow campaign is just a farce-a smokescreen . sigh   It is GM's way of beating the system on selling big trucks and SUVs. Toyota uses the Prius and hybrids. They sell just enough to keep ahead of the CAFE fines. Getting a Prius or Camry hybrid is also not easy. Maybe you should order a Flex Fuel Impala. Probably get it faster than a Camry hybrid or Prius & for a better price.
#7 of 14 Re: Why are all ethanol cars in the US beasts? [lemming] by markcincinnati Aug 19, 2006 (7:08 am)
Replying to: lemming (Jul 14, 2006 12:51 pm) Based on what I have read, an "ideal" car would be a diesel electric hybrid (which would run on bio diesel and dino diesel and blow E85 mileage figures and pollution figures and power figures and the associated economics away.)   Even plain old Mercedes, BMW or Audi TD engines if put into all kinds of cars would make most folks wonder "why bother with E85?" Replies to this message: fushigi (Aug 23, 2006 2:33 pm) markcincinnati (Aug 24, 2006 11:18 am)
#8 of 14 Re: Why are all ethanol cars in the US beasts? [markcincinnati] by fushigi Aug 23, 2006 (2:33 pm)
Replying to: markcincinnati (Aug 19, 2006 7:08 am) It's been discussed in other areas on Edmunds/CarSpace that a diesel/electric hybrid isn't a viable solution as diesel's take too much energy to start and the constant stop/start of the ICE that happens in a hybrid just wouldn't work well or wouldn't be as efficient. Replies to this message: markcincinnati (Aug 24, 2006 11:18 am)
#9 of 14 Re: Why are all ethanol cars in the US beasts? [fushigi] by markcincinnati Aug 24, 2006 (11:18 am)
Replying to: fushigi (Aug 23, 2006 2:33 pm) This seems to contradict what I've read recently. Around the URBAN areas the pure electric motivation has many advantages and one of them is fuel efficiency.   Even as one moves into suburban driving, electric motors are less efficient that diesel; and, once you move to higway driving both gasoline and diesel are far more efficient.   What are the reasons that would work against diesel electric hybrids.   This would seem to me -- in the face of better batteries -- to be an almost ideal solution.   As usual, I could be wrong.
#11 of 14 Re: Why are all ethanol cars in the US beasts? [bemanix88] by djm2 Sep 20, 2006 (2:31 am)
Replying to: bemanix88 (Apr 11, 2006 3:19 pm) There is a "NEW" automotive fuel on the market that can replace gasoline directly. It is "Butanol", an alcohol compound with four carbon atoms. This could be better than "Ethanol", especially in the boating world, because it does not react with water. Replies to this message: w9cw (Sep 20, 2006 3:21 am)

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