Right now, let's forget about fully-electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles; mass production won't become a reality until 10 years from now -- or maybe later. While big auto companies keep believing, the technology still needs major improvements.
Finally, an open debate
General Motors Chairman and CEO, Rick Wagoner, firmly believes in ethanol as a viable alternative fuel. His numbers speak for themselves: global oil consumption reaches nearly 1,000 barrels a day. By 2070, this figure is expected to be 70-percent higher because all emerging countries will be primarily using the automobile.
Ethanol creates less pollution and is cheaper to produce, but even Wagoner acknowledges that part of corn-based ethanol production leads to negative effects, though the situation is not as bad as some would like you to think. Over 25 GM models can run on E85 (up to 85 percent ethanol). The automaker is pressing governments to massively invest in ethanol production. One thing's for sure: it's in GM's -- and Ford's -- best interest to shift to ethanol.
This time, Rick Wagoner did not pull a rabbit out of his hat. Rather, GM chose to invest with an equity firm and a company which developed a new technique for producing ethanol from waste. The latter's R&D team is so advanced and the results are so conclusive that production units are set to be implemented as early as this fall.
The not-in-my-backyard syndrome is likely to disappear as GM plans on converting landfill waste, used tires and plastic bags into ethanol fuel. According to Mr. Wagoner, the aforementioned technique would make it possible to produce 7.7 times more ethanol with a single gallon of water. In other words, producing as much ethanol from corn currently requires about 4 gallons of water.
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| The Hummer HX Concept runs on E85. |
Finally, an open debate
General Motors Chairman and CEO, Rick Wagoner, firmly believes in ethanol as a viable alternative fuel. His numbers speak for themselves: global oil consumption reaches nearly 1,000 barrels a day. By 2070, this figure is expected to be 70-percent higher because all emerging countries will be primarily using the automobile.
Ethanol creates less pollution and is cheaper to produce, but even Wagoner acknowledges that part of corn-based ethanol production leads to negative effects, though the situation is not as bad as some would like you to think. Over 25 GM models can run on E85 (up to 85 percent ethanol). The automaker is pressing governments to massively invest in ethanol production. One thing's for sure: it's in GM's -- and Ford's -- best interest to shift to ethanol.
This time, Rick Wagoner did not pull a rabbit out of his hat. Rather, GM chose to invest with an equity firm and a company which developed a new technique for producing ethanol from waste. The latter's R&D team is so advanced and the results are so conclusive that production units are set to be implemented as early as this fall.
The not-in-my-backyard syndrome is likely to disappear as GM plans on converting landfill waste, used tires and plastic bags into ethanol fuel. According to Mr. Wagoner, the aforementioned technique would make it possible to produce 7.7 times more ethanol with a single gallon of water. In other words, producing as much ethanol from corn currently requires about 4 gallons of water.
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| Producing ethanol from waste is one of the solutions being considered by GM. |