Even more corn-ethanol?

Can you really go green by going yellow?

Well, gas prices are going down, and that means interest in ethanol is also subsiding, at least in terms of consumers.

Thus, a number of players in the ethanol industry want to increase the amount of ethanol than can be mixed into gasoline, despite the fact that almost every single bit of evidence suggests this would be a bad move for everyone, except those with a direct, vested interest in corn and ethanol.

Isn't it time to start to downsizing corn's role in ethanol, not to increase it?

Fuel efficiency: GM just can't compete?

Are flex-fuel lies killing GM?

GM's Bob Lutz is claiming that President Bush's plans to increase automobile fuel efficiency could raise the cost of automobiles by $5000.00, according to the DetroitNews. Rather than increase fuel efficiency, Lutz claims increased availability of ethanol is a better solution.

I'm so tired of hearing about GM's ethanol plans. First, GM is using cheap flex-fuel technology as a loophole to violate CAFE. As a result GM can't even meet the CAFE laws created 20 years ago, let alone more stringent rules. Consequently, GM is using legal loopholes to avoid paying massive fines, while increasing America's foreign oil dependency more than should be allowed by law. Second, corn-based ethanol is not a good solution to resolving America's energy problems. Third, GM is an automaker, not an energy company, so focus on automotive technology.

While Toyota achieves record months of sales significantly helped by hybrid cars, such as the Prius, GM has yet to sell one full hybrid vehicle. Why? Why can't GM realize that fuel efficiency is becoming ever more a critical aspect of automobile manufacturing survival - possibly and probably the key to the automotive future?

The good 'ole days of gas-guzzling land yachts are over. Deal with it.

Democrats suck: Why no Toyota hybrid tax credits? (Does America suck?)

Is leaving Iraq a solution or a distraction?

While Democrats keep beating the Leave Iraq drum, they continue to do little to resolve the problem that eventually pushed America into Iraq in the first place: oil. While there isn't anything that can be done to immediately end foreign oil dependency, there are small actions that create strong messages that could result in real action. Extending Toyota's tax credits is one such action.

Besides, Toyota deserves the extension. Hybrid cars, plug-in hybrid vehicles - these vehicles wouldn't even be on the world's radar if not for Toyota. Even today, the Big 3 - led by GM - can't get off the ethanol crazy train. Fortunately, even the mainstream media are finally starting to address the truth about flex-fuel vehicles and corn-based ethanol - its a scam (See BW).

--> Finish Democrats suck: Why no Toyota hybrid tax credits

U.S. automakers: Too focused on fuels rather than on fuel efficiency

Shouldn't automakers be more focused on fuel efficiency, rather than on alternative fuels?

I hate being critical of the biofuel movement, but it is simply a fact that corn-based ethanol is just not a very good bio-fuel. Moreover, there are plenty of questions still left unresolved regarding bio-fuels, especially until cellulosic ethanol is economically achieved.

For example, if we triple or quadruple ethanol consumption, how much will food prices increase? Also, considering that water is more and more labeled as the next oil, is it wise to use so much of this precious resource to fuel our vehicles via water-greedy corn? Furthermore, will global warming affect our ability to produce many bio-fuels? And that's just for starters.

Finish Fuels rather than fuel efficiency

Energy Security and Global Warming: What GM is doing

Is GM about more than just the Hummer?

When it comes the environment and global warming, GM is the favored whipping boy in the automotive sector, but is such a view of GM accurate? Just because GM isn't the leading developer of hybrid cars, does that mean they are not an environmental leader? According to GM's VP of Environment and Energy, Beth Lowery, that view is not correct and she is letting people know about it on the Fast Lane Blog.

Finish Energy Security and Global Warming

Forget the ethanol pipeline and choose flex-fuel plug-in hybrids

Where are the flex-fuel hybrid vehicles, such as this Saab flex-fuel hybrid? Even better, how about flex-fuel plug-in hybrid vehicles? Wouldn't they be the perfect foreign oil dependency fighters? Yet, with plug-in hybrid vehicles - a technology just a couple of years away from mass-production reality -the far majority of Americans would almost never need to fill up with any liquid fuel for their daily commute. Yet, our electricity needs would increase significantly.

So, why is the ethanol industry seeking an ethanol pipeline (more)? Why not just convert ethanol into electricity? Wouldn't that be easier, even cheaper, than transporting ethanol throughout the U.S.?

Explosive growth in the incredibly highly subsidized corn-based ethanol industry only makes sense for those whom stand to reap billions in subsidized profit. Until cellulosic ethanol proves its cost-effectiveness, America should spend far more of its resources on advanced technologies, such as lithium-ion batteries, composite materials, and fuel cells - technologies that can essentially end the need for any liquid fuel for automotive transportation in the first place.

GM already toning down its i-Car campaign?

About two weeks ago I made a post about GM's i-Car, a car many believe will be some type of plug-in hybrid vehicle. According to unconfirmed sources at that time, the i-Car campaign would be launched some time before the end of the year as a challenge to Toyota and its hybrid cars. Then, earlier this week, Bob Lutz told the AutomotiveNews that the future was all electric vehicles powered by fuel cells. In the interim, Mr. Lutz claimed a plug-in hybrid would probably be the best solution, and the reality of the i-Car campaign seemed, well, real.

Suddenly, it seemed GM was preparing to completely reinvent itself. Finally, I thought, finally.

Perhaps, I got a little too excited a little too quickly.

While the LA Times is reporting that GM is going to launch an electric vehicle prototype next year, there are already questions about how serious GM actually is about the i-Car program, at least in the short term. Maybe, now that Democrats have control of Congress, GM believes it can rest on E85 and flex-fuel vehicles for several years rather than actually doing something great.