Honda to build cellulosic ethanol research facility
One alternative fuel area where Japanese automakers have shown comparatively little interest, until recently, is biofuels. Toyota has announced plans to offer a flex-fuel version of the Tundra and Honda offers flex-fuel Civics in Brazil. Toyota also recently announced a cellulosic ethanol partnership . Honda has now announced plans to build a new R&D facility in Japan that will focus on producing biofuels from non-food feedstocks. The 1,050 m 2 lab is expected to be completed and operating by November of this year. Honda has been working with the Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth since 2006 and began operating an experimental production facility in 2007. So far, Honda hasn’t given any indication that it will offer any flex-fuel vehicles in the U.S. market. Perhaps now that Honda has backed off from its plans to offer diesels in the U.S. market and only plans to offer hybrids in small cars, we may start to see the company embrace ethanol. [Source: Honda] Continue reading Honda to build cellulosic ethanol research facility Auto Blog: Ethanol , Honda Honda to build cellulosic ethanol research facility originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green
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Honda to build cellulosic ethanol research facility
Mitsubishi iMiEV New Zealand tour ‘Tubed and Twittered
Click above and scroll down to watch the video As we informed you last week, Mitsubishi and Meridian Energy have brought the iMiEV to New Zealand to introduce Middle Earth to the electric car concept. To help with that outreach, they have an expanded web presence that includes a microsite, a YouTube vid and an impressive social networking effort. If you’re a Twittering fool, you can follow them there and learn about its various reviews and appearances, including this cool one from iMotormag . Their Facebook account already has a few dozen fans and features photo galleries and a way to connect with other Kiwis excited about the car. Interested in having an i MiEV of your own? Just like the UK site , the microsite has a place to tell Mitsubishi you want a battery-powered vehicle and allows you to check out the tour schedule. We suspect this iMiEV motherlode should be enough to tide most readers over until the upcoming reveal of the updated left-hand-drive version is made. If not, hit the jump to view video of the car in New Zealand. [Source: YouTube ] Continue reading Mitsubishi iMiEV New Zealand tour ‘Tubed and Twittered Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , Mitsubishi , Pacific Region Mitsubishi iMiEV New Zealand tour ‘Tubed and Twittered originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green
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Mitsubishi iMiEV New Zealand tour ‘Tubed and Twittered
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Leave a commentLoremo 120-mpg and all-electric prototypes should be on the road soon
Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , MPG , Green Daily , Automotive X-Prize Click above for a high-res gallery of the Loremo The Loremo was one of the first vehicles we wrote about about when AutoblogGreen started back on Earth Day 2006. The company itself has been around since 2000 in Germany. It’s a reality check to note that this initially super-high mpg aerodynamic vehicle and then all-electric vehicle is still nowhere near production. The closest we’ve come is seeing the look of the high-mpg model back in August (above). Until today. According to the new Loremo blog , the company is making progress on all the models that it is working on, and we should see three different powertrain prototypes in 2009. The blog post calls this “a major milestone on the way to series development.” Here’s the short version of where each vehicle is today: The base model Loremo: revising downward their earlier estimates, Loremo now says this model will get something like 120 mpg (still plenty to win the Auto X Prize ) with a 700 ccm engine that features turbo charging, inter-cooling and exhaust gas recycling. The Loremo GT: this is a sportier version of the base model and will use a German-manufacturer-sourced Otto engine (sorry, diesel fans). By using this 850 ccm engine, conversions to CNG or LPG will be possible, something Loremo says customers are already asking for. The all-electric Loremo EV: test runs have been started and a roadworthiness certificate issued. Public road tests should take place in March The three powertrains will all be put into the same body, and Loremo says that the liquid-fuel engines are mature enough that the only real work that remains is on the chassis, interior and shell. If all this is accurate, then we should be seeing all sorts of cool updates – videos and pictures, etc. – in the very near future. Thanks to Michal B. of the Czech EV Club for the tip! Gallery: Preproduction Loremo [Source: Loremo Forums ] Loremo 120-mpg and all-electric prototypes should be on the road soon originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 10:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green
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Loremo 120-mpg and all-electric prototypes should be on the road soon
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