Environmentalists despise Performance Cars?

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We (Australia) have Ethanol mixed fuels now in our petrol stations, the government has restricted a maximum 10% ethanol mixed limit due to possible engine damage.

People around hear want cheap fuel, they just convert to LPG (propane).
 
I'm all for the use of E85, and I'm happy that GM is using its weight to push that idea forward along with the Bush Administration. However, the biggest problem is that the overwhelming majority of cars and trucks on the road cannot use E85 in the tank, and we would have to wait for a full shift in the fleet of cars in the US to use the fuel to it's full abilities.

...I think our Avalanche is E85, as well as my Grandfather's Tahoe. Although most of the pumps here in Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana only go up to 10% Ethanol, I believe there are a few places here in Grand Rapids that sell E85...
 
E85 will eat through a lot of stuff. If you have fuel system components that are designed for gasoline, they'll have to be replaced with something that won't get eaten by ethanol.

I'm not sure where the information is coming from that ethanol is cheaper. You have to grow plants to turn into ethanol, I know corn and sugar have been used, I'm sure there are others too. I personally don't really like the idea of using the stuff, you'd have to farm a helluva lot of corn to make enough ethanol just to power all of our cars. Then there is still all of our electricity coming from fossil fuels.

As far as CO2 emissions, the whole point of ethanol is that the net CO2 production is zero. Cars will put out CO2, but it's the same CO2 that was absorbed by the corn you grew to make the ethanol, so the net amount of CO2 into the atmosphere is zero.
 
I'm all for the use of E85. There are only a couple drawbacks already mentioned to using the fuel. However, the production and distribution is the problem. It does, afterall, take alot of corn to produce ethanol, and the refineries to make it useable. But, with any switch in propultion or fuel, new support systems need to be set-up, be it electric cars, hydrogen powered cars, or Ethanol/E85 powered cars. So, the way I see it, you might as well run with this one.
 
I think running solar power to generate electricity would be better in the long run. Then you could power everything with sustainable energy.

Plus I guess I don't like the idea of food and energy prices becoming linked... I would think a person in a third world country would have an even harder time buying rice to eat when Americans are willing to pay $3/gallon to put that rice into their SUVs.
 
It's corn. Not rice.
Although.... Both are used to make alcohol (Sake, right?? Or am I off, here?).... so mabye rice could be used??
 
Actually I'm not sure that you can make it from rice... but the point still stands, if americans will pay $3 a gallon for corn then why grow rice for people who make $3 a week.
 
here in Brazil there are many cars running on ethanol. In the 80's and early 90's (gulf war) those cars were almost 80% of all the cars around here. Lately, the Flex engine (you can use gas or alchool at your choice, even mixed) has becoming a major point at selling cars. About 60% already on the new cars produced.
As said before, the ethanol is more corrosive than gas so, a few things in the car must be changed. Another drawback is, in the cold you car would need to stay on heating a few minutes before running, or you would be jerking all around :yuck:
It burns faster than gas but it's a little stronger (around 2-6 hp for each 100). And alot less pollutive. 👍 It comes from the sugar plant (forgot the translation :dunce: ). There's plenty around here, plenty!

But since last year, when the price was around R$0.90 cents to R$1,10 it grew to R$ 1,50 and R$1,60. Why? Commodity they say. Because it uses 15% gas, when the gas price go up, so does alchool prices. Pure capitalism.. It's questionable if really a car running only ethanol worth the buy.
 
The real solution isn't to be found in any one alternative. Once we switch to any homogenous power supply, scarcity will rear it head. Our best hope is a heterogeneous mix of biodiesel, ethanol, nuclear-supplied electricity, and other fuel sources.

Distribution isn't that big a deal. I drive a diesel (46mpg), and sure I have to think a little bit before filling up-- but that only happens every 12 days.
 
Diesel isn't entirely the solution though... It freezes at negative teens, not great news for people living in the snow band...
 
...Are you sure about that? I used to live in Alberta, Canada, where diesel trucks were quite common, and it regularly goes into the -20's (celsius).
 
I've always thought about going Diesel with my next VW, but with Diesel fuel bouncing around in the mid $2 range (I think it was $2.69 last I checked), it may not be the best decision ever made. But considering how realitively anti-hybrid I am, Ethanol and Diesel power (IMO) is really the only way to go.
 

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