Domestic Fuel

Ford has been generating ethanol excitement this week at the British International Motor Show in London with its Ford Focus FFVs.

Ford announced that UK supermarket giant Morrison’s – which recently became the first retailer to sell “bio-ethanol” – became the proud owner of the 1,000,000th Ford Focus FFV sold in the country.

The company also announced that the Focus is the first FFV to be backed by discounted insurance, and that a new study measured the Focus FFV emissions at under 100 grammes of CO 2 per kilometer – lower than comparable vehicles using hybrid technology.

Ford also unveiled the snappy little number in the photo with a name that sounds like a French wine – Coupé-Cabriolet. This concept car was one of three new FFVs Ford has on display at the show.

In addition, Ford announced it’s intention to invest at least £1 billion to reduce emissions and fuel consumption in the UK.

While all of the “Big Three” U.S. car makers are pushing their lines of flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs) capable of running on up to 85 percent ethanol, Toyota continues to mull it over.

A press release this week quoted Toyota Motor North America president Jim Press saying, Toyota is strongly considering introducing a flex-fuel vehicle program in the U.S. “We’re already developing vehicles that can operate in ethanol-rich Brazil and we’re optimistic that we can offer similar vehicles to American consumers.”
He said Toyota is also pursuing a plug-in hybrid vehicle that would be capable of traveling greater distances without using its gas engine, with the ultimate goal of conserving more oil, reducing smog and greenhouse gases to near zero emissions levels.

Press made his comments in a talk at the National Press Club (no relation to him), and numerous media outlets picked up the story out of DC from their own perspectives. The Chicago Sun-Times headlined that Toyota was “charging ahead with plans for plug-in hybrid.” Detroit Free Press noted that Press ” stopped well short of committing Toyota to bringing either technology to the U.S. market.” Associated Press headlined with Press’ denial that Toyota was thinking of hooking up with GM and buried the ethanol/plug-in angle about mid-article. Bloomberg focused on the plug-ins.

DaimlerChrysler, Ford Motor Company and General Motors Corporation have announced plans to double the annual production of flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) to two million by the year 2010.

According to an Illinois Corn Growers release, the auto manufacturers pledged this commitment last week in a letter addressed to members of Congress signed by Chrysler Group President and CEO, Tom LaSorda, Ford Motor Company Chairman and CEO, Bill Ford and General Motors Chairman and CEO, Rick Wagoner. They indicated that through additional production of these vehicles, the country can help secure energy independence. They also indicated that the increase in production of FFVs can not do this job alone; the government must assist in allowing incentives for alternative fuel infrastructure and the price of E85 must be competitive to gasoline.

Read the complete letter here.

The head of General Motors’ research and development says ethanol could be paving the way for the use of hydrogen in cars in the future. GM’s Lawrence Burns told Reuters Wednesday that encouraging farmers to grow corn or other grains that can be converted into clean-burning, renewable fuel creates a system that can he readily applied to generating hydrogen as well.
“Even some of the initial steps in the processing of the biomass — whether to make it hydrogen or ethanol — will be one and the same, so it is an important step toward an alternative pathway for energy,” he said.
“And it allows us to use our existing internal combustion engines as we transition to hydrogen in the future.”

One of the speakers at today’s Ethanol Summit was Ed Peper, General Manager of Chevrolet. He’s pictured here with Indiana Lt. Governor Becky Skillman.

I interviewed Ed about General Motors committment to alternative fuel vehicles (AFV’s) after his remarks to the Summit attendees. He made it very clear that GM is in the alternative fuels business to stay. He says they were the first manufacturer to get involved and they have the most AFV’s on the road today.

You can listent to my interview with Ed here: Ed Peper Interview (3 min MP3)

During Ed’s presentation he highlighted GM’s continued involvement in the Indianapolis 500 as well as their commitment to Indiana and the E-85 flex fuel initiative. He also presented the keys to a new Chevrolet E-85 Tahoe to the Lt. Governor, which she will use as an educational tool to promote the use of renewable fuels.

The Tahoe also symbolizes Indiana’s committment to agriculture and the environment. This is the second year that GM has provided a vehicle to the state as part of the Governor’s ethanol coalition. General Motors is currently the largest producer of E-85 flesible fuels vehicles with nearly 2 million on the road. There are over 70,000 GM E-85 vehicles in Indiana. They have five plants in the state, over 200 GM dealers, and over 10,000 employees.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (1.6MB)

According to Paddock Talk, the CEOs of General Motors, Ford and DaimlerChrysler are supporting efforts that seek to provide 25 percent of America’s energy needs from renewable sources by 2025, known as 25X’25. In meetings with Congressional leaders today, Chrysler Group President and CEO Tom LaSorda, Ford Motor Company Chairman and CEO Bill Ford and General Motors Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner gave their support the initiative, which is an effort led by the Energy Future Coalition and supported by agriculture and forestry groups to get 25 percent of the nation’s transportation energy needs met by renewable fuels by 2025.

General Motors made ethanol history Friday when a Chevy Silverado E-85 Flex Fuel Vehicle (FFV) served as the pace car for the GM Flex Fuel 250 at Daytona race, starting the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race, according to a news release.
“GM is delighted to be able to sponsor the event tonight,” said Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager. “We are delighted to bring a lot more awareness to the benefits of ethanol to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil.”
Ethanol Promotion and Information Council executive director Tom Slunecka was in Daytona for the event and congratulated General Motors for its success in creating consumer awareness of the value and benefits of ethanol. “GM’s promotion of E-85 fuel is helping to build the infrastructure needed for the ethanol industry to continue growing and replacing millions of barrels of non-renewable oil,” said Slunecka.
GM is really getting into this ethanol thing in a big way. If you haven’t checked out GM’s “Live Green, Go Yellow” website yet, you really should. It’s quite the deal. I would call the whole campaign very farmer friendly. For a little fun, play the Stalk Car Race game on the site. It’s cute – not real challenging, but cute.