The moderately priced 1.6-liter four cylinder FFV Renault replaces the former 1.6 MPI 90 version and, in France, purchase of the vehicle will be tax free. Renault reports that the CO2 emissions are much less so it will qualify for the badging for a low emissions vehicle.

The Logan MCV is available with either a five- or seven-seat configuration. The vehicle is manufactured by the brand’s ISO 14001-certified plant in Pitesti, Romania. It is available now in France.

The vice chairman of Global Product Operations for General Motors told attendees of the 15th Annual National Ethanol Conference that his company will keep putting more flexible fuel vehicles on the road, but more ethanol pumps are needed to fuel them.

Tom Stephens said GM is committed to making more than half of their vehicle production flex fuel capable by 2012. “GM is spending about $100 million a year adding flex fuel capability to our vehicles,” he said. “We can’t afford to leave this capital stranded.”

He noted that the majority of flex fuel vehicles are in highly populous areas, especially the east and west coasts, while the majority of E-85 fueling stations are located in the Midwest. He advocates the use of blender pumps to allow retailers to put both mid and high level blends in the pumps so consumers can choose the right fuel for their vehicles.

However, when it comes to increasing the blend level to 15 percent ethanol, he added a note of caution. “We believe it’s critical to complete the planned testing of mid level blends to understand the impact on light duty fleet, off-road vehicles, boats and other equipment,” he said. “Until the results of these comprehensive durability tests are fully understood, we remain concerned about customers using fuels containing more than 10 percent ethanol. If ethanol gets a bad name, it will be bad for everyone.”

You can listen to or download Stephen’s speech in the player below and watch part of his talk here:

Making the announcement at the Washington Auto Show Tuesday morning were Ricardo President Kent Niederhofer (left) and Growth Energy Co-Chairman (Ret.) Gen. Wesley Clark, pictured here with the engine. “EBDI engine technology offers a uniquely American solution for a wide range of vehicle applications, combining extreme optimized flex-fuel engine technology offering high fuel economy, low emissions and uncompromised performance using a source of renewable fuel produced here in the United States,” said Niederhofer.

Clark added, “Through this project with Ricardo we aim to be able to put potential customers in the driving seat and demonstrate to them that with EBDI technology, ethanol can deliver performance and fuel economy and offers an attractive and sustainable transport solution using an American produced renewable fuel. Consumers should have a choice at the pump – and domestic ethanol should be one of those options for fuel.”

Read more from Growth Energy.

Through a joint effort between the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) and the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council (SDCUC), the station now offers a variety of fuel blends including unleaded gasoline and E10, and E30 and E85 for Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFVs).

“This is the first location in Sioux Falls to offer a blend of 30 percent ethanol for FFV owners,” said Ron Lamberty with ACE. “The important investments made by the owners of King’s Mart, and the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council with the assistance of ACE and the “Blend Your Own Ethanol” campaign, have provided consumers with another ethanol fueling option in Sioux Falls.”

The BYO Ethanol campaign was launched last year as a partnership between ACE, the Renewable Fuels Association, the National Corn Growers Association and leading corn-producing states such as South Dakota. The campaign works to show gas station owners the benefits of blending ethanol and using blender pumps to provide choices for motorists.

The Sioux Falls blender pump location joins 40 other locations across South Dakota and around 150 nationwide. ACE offers an on-line map of blender pump sites.

The first issue of the Market Development FYI Newsletter includes the following articles: Big Oil Letting Go of Retail Outlets; MSDS Sheets for Ethanol Blends; Missouri Opens First Blender Pump; Blender Pump Tax Fix Sought; States Offer Additional Infrastructure Tax Credits; E85 Makes Inroads on Cost and Availability; Dresser Wayne Promotes Blender Pumps; Member Spotlight and much more.

To sign up for the newsletter, click here.

Roger and Margie Johnson of Exeter, Nebraska (seen far left) were the grand prize winners in the Growth Force sweepstakes. The prize was awarded on Thursday to the winners by Wayne Hoovestol, Chairman of Green Plains Renewable Energy and a member of the Growth Energy Board of Directors.

“We are very proud to drive a Ford Flex Fuel Vehicle. If we’re ever going to secure our nation, we need to do it with domestic fuels like ethanol. Ethanol creates jobs here in the U.S., and it gives our farmers market certainty, but just as important is the fact that every gallon of ethanol we make in the U.S. means one less gallon of fuel from overseas,” the Johnsons said.

The giveaway was conducted as part of the campaign launching Growth Force, the individual membership for Growth Energy, a coalition of U.S. ethanol supporters. People who signed up for Growth Force became eligible to win the truck. Growth Force sign-up drives were held at two of the nation’s largest farm shows: the Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Illinois and the Husker Harvest Days show in Grand Island, Nebraska.

“As a member of Growth Energy, we are pleased to award this Flex Fuel Ford F150 truck to the Johnsons,” Hoovestol said at the truck giveaway. “In a short period of time, ethanol has become the third largest supplier of fuel in the U.S. behind imports from Canada and ahead of fuel imports from Saudi Arabia and Mexico. We congratulate the Johnsons.”

More than 13,000 people have joined Growth Force since its inception this summer.

“In 2007, HUMMER committed to offer a biofuel powertrain in every vehicle by 2010 and follows through on that promise with the addition of a new 300-horsepower, E85 Flex Fuel capable 5.3L V8,” says James Taylor, HUMMER CEO. “This is just the first step in HUMMER’s evolution to offer responsible, yet highly capable all-terrain vehicles. Future models will be lighter, more efficient and will continue to offer the best blend of off-road capability and on-road performance.”

According to Hummer’s press release, the new 5.3L V8 Flex Fuel engine is standard in all 2010 Alpha series’ models. The Hydra-Matic 4L60 electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission has a 5.3L engine. Flat towing is enabled on all H3 and H3T models.

The new colors available will include Red Rock Metallic, Silver Stone Metallic, and Canyon Metallic. The 2010 HUMMER H3 and H3T should arrive in in dealerships by next month.

The FFV Purchasing Guide has been available since 2003, offering frequently asked questions regarding high level blends of ethanol and the availability of FFVs. This issue provides all the latest information about 2010 Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Nissan, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota trucks and cars with E85 compatible engines.

The Purchasing Guides are available in bulk for giveaway items at trade shows or blender pump/E85 station grand opening events. They can be ordered on-line here.

Volunteers from the ALAMN will be at the two Gold Lot entrances to identify FFVs and distribute the free passes. The ALAMN supports the use of cleaner-burning E85, and has partnered with the Minnesota Vikings to raise awareness and use of the ethanol-based fuel, sold at more than 350 stations in Minnesota. The first 25 FFV drvers in the Gold Lot will receive coupons for 10 cents off per gallon of E85 at the downtown station.

Also, a trip for two to Soldier Field in Chicago is being given away to watch the Vikings play the Bears on December 28th. Fans can register to win the “Vikings Road Trip, Fueled By E85″ contest by clicking here.

The educational rally was announced in July at the Florida Farm-to-Fuel Summit by Charles Bronson, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and Florida Governor Charlie Crist. The Clean Fuels Foundation and the FlexFuel Vehicle Club of America are the organizers of the campaign.

The campaign will help locate, educate, and motivate FFV owners to use higher blends of ethanol so the U.S. can meet the goals of the national renewable fuel standard (RFS) and pave the way for 2nd generation biofuels in Florida. Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA) is sponsoring the upcoming series of IndyCar Race related events which is the next phase of the driver education campaign.

Two free IndyCar Race Tickets and special parking/FFV Corral passes will be given to the first 50 FFV owners to purchase E85 at the Rally tomorrow. IndyCar Race Driver Mario Moraes will be available for autographs from 11 a.m. to 11:40 a.m.