Car makers approve ethanol blend fuel October 19, 2005 Australian Broadcasting Corporation http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200510/s1485570.htm
In a breakthrough for the ethanol industry, Australia's four car makers have reached agreement to label all cars made in Australia as E10 compatible from the start of next year. The labels will signal that the cars are compatible with fuel that contains up to 10 per cent ethanol. The decision ends concerns that using an ethanol blend could damage engines and potentially void new car warranties. The situation for imported cars is less clear. The decision by Holden, Mitsubishi, Ford and Toyota follows intensive discussions between the car makers and the federal Industry Minister, Ian Macfarlane. Mitsubishi Motors Australia spokesman Kevin Taylor says the company's Adelaide-made and imported cars have been E10 compatible since the mid-1990s. "We will have no difficulty in labelling cars as requested by the Government from early in the new year," he said. The South Australian motoring body, the RAA [Royal Automobile Associaiton], says the decision is good news for motorists' hip pockets. RAA senior analyst Hamilton Calder says the ethanol component does not attract the federal excise. "Ethanol blended petrol is actually four cents a litre cheaper than standard unleaded petrol," he said. Mr Calder says most vehicles post 1986 will be able to use the cheaper ethanol blend, as it becomes available. But Canegrowers president Alf Cristaudo says there is still a long way to go to before ethanol use is commonplace. "It'll certainly help in the debate once you've got the car manufacturers making statements like that - that their vehicles won't fall apart and their vehicles won't be damaged by the use of ethanol," he said. "It'll certainly be a positive factor." _______________________________________________ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
