Comments on: E85, Corn, and The Volt http://gm-volt.com/2007/03/31/e85-corn-and-the-volt/ Real-time news, information, and discussion about the Chevrolet Volt. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 03:11:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Fine Food http://gm-volt.com/2007/03/31/e85-corn-and-the-volt/#comment-181820 Fine Food Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:42:33 +0000 http://www.gm-volt.com/2007/03/31/e85-corn-and-the-volt/#comment-181820 thanks for that thanks for that

]]> By: Nat Pearre http://gm-volt.com/2007/03/31/e85-corn-and-the-volt/#comment-2382 Nat Pearre Fri, 29 Jun 2007 16:26:18 +0000 http://www.gm-volt.com/2007/03/31/e85-corn-and-the-volt/#comment-2382 The combustion of ethanol has been found to produce MORE carcinogenic byproducts than gasoline. Of the 15 billion bushels of corn we expect to produce this year, only a small fraction is used for transportation. The majority is needed in food production. Building a transportation infrastructure that requires 15 billion gallons of ethanol (or whatever number you like) will require 15 billion bushels of corn IN EXCESS OF what is being produced today. Given the current level of agricultural intensity, and the disastrous effects it has on natural ecosystems, where is all this ethanol supposed to come from? Ethanol is not a good fuel source. If I had a Volt, I'd take out the gen-set and add more batteries to give it an 80 mile range, so no liquid fuels would be needed. The combustion of ethanol has been found to produce MORE carcinogenic byproducts than gasoline.
Of the 15 billion bushels of corn we expect to produce this year, only a small fraction is used for transportation. The majority is needed in food production. Building a transportation infrastructure that requires 15 billion gallons of ethanol (or whatever number you like) will require 15 billion bushels of corn IN EXCESS OF what is being produced today. Given the current level of agricultural intensity, and the disastrous effects it has on natural ecosystems, where is all this ethanol supposed to come from?

Ethanol is not a good fuel source. If I had a Volt, I’d take out the gen-set and add more batteries to give it an 80 mile range, so no liquid fuels would be needed.

]]> By: Herman http://gm-volt.com/2007/03/31/e85-corn-and-the-volt/#comment-565 Herman Sun, 01 Apr 2007 15:48:06 +0000 http://www.gm-volt.com/2007/03/31/e85-corn-and-the-volt/#comment-565 Bio-fuels do seem attractive and the GM-Volt concept car was specially designed to take advantage of the fuel. After all, it does make sense to leverage the sun and plants to help power our mobility. Unfortunately, corn based bio-fuels don't make sense for most of the US. A study by the national labs showed that *more* oil consumption may result once the whole corn chain was accounted for.. but there are other good bio-sources to build on. Keep marching forward! Bio-fuels do seem attractive and the GM-Volt concept car was specially designed to take advantage of the fuel. After all, it does make sense to leverage the sun and plants to help power our mobility.
Unfortunately, corn based bio-fuels don’t make sense for most of the US. A study by the national labs showed that *more* oil consumption may result once the whole corn chain was accounted for.. but there are other good bio-sources to build on.
Keep marching forward!

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