(Jay Leno's 600 hp E85 Corvette)
What does GM think the future fuel source of autos will be? Hybrid? No, although they make a few models to "keep up with the competition." Plug in electric? No, although they are trying their damnedest to bring the first one (Chevy Volt) to market, again to "beat the competition." Diesel? Heh, no.. I don't think they have any interest in that.
No, none of that stuff... they're betting on E85. Why? One reason, according to Maximum Bob, is that it requires the least amount of change to our current lifestyle and fuel infrastructure. If we all switch to E85, what would be different? Nothing really... we still fill up our cars at gas stations like we have for the past century. Furthermore, any car can be converted to use E85 for like $100. Path of least change is good.
Great, so why aren't we already on E85? Well, the current method to produce it (with corn) is somewhat difficult and inefficient, but the main reason, IMO, is that we simply don't have enough corn to make a dent in our nation's fuel consumption. Hell, even if we converted 100% of our farm lands to corn, we still wouldn't have enough.
Enter Coskata and their "breakthrough" method for producing cellulosic ethanol...(click for full article). Another article here.
To summarize...
- patented process to produce ethanol from almost any carbon based matter (garbage, plant waste, old tires)
- consumes 3 times less water than other processes
- generates 7.7 times the energy it takes to produce it (vs 1.3 times for corn based ethanol)
- reduces CO2 emissions by 84% compared to gasoline
- GM expects to have the facilities to produce 50 to 100 million gallons per year by 2011
- less than $1 per gallon
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