Fuels of the future

A keen awareness that fossil fuel reserves are finite and oil may run out faster than anticipated is also prompting car-makers to club together to develop alternative technologies that employ “green” fuels: hybrids, of course, but also micro-hybrids that recharge the battery when you brake and stop the engine when you are at the lights, hydrogen-based fuel cells, bio-ethanol (E85) that mixes up to 85% of ethanol with petrol/diesel.

Rick Wagoner, chief executive of General Motors, is convinced that the days of the century-old internal combustion engine are not numbered but says: “We are on the threshold of a major change and we will be moving to ethanol, electrics, hybrids, fuel-cells and this is going to be an expensive, very expensive proposition. So you are going to see manufacturers working together – it could be supply agreements and it could be mergers if the case is big enough.”
John Fleming, head of Ford Europe, which claims to be the European leader in so-called flexi-fuels (mainly E85), adds: “We are spending a huge amount of time thinking about climate change and making sure we are developing the right technologies … It won’t be one technology that wins because there are different technologies needed in different segments of the market.”

Uranishi says in an interview that the Dimas proposals are already prompting Toyota to think of changing its model-mix in Europe. “We will have to think of selling more of the vehicles that have good CO2 performance and maybe rethink our model plans and plant capacities,” he says, indicating that the Japanese group could bring forward its plans for a new low-cost car – a greener rival to Renault’s Romanian-made Logan that has a basic selling price of just €5,000.

Guardian