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Australian GM-Holden unit to produce new flex-fuel, LPG cars by 2012

June 9, 2008

In Australia, General Motors Holden said that it expected to produce LPG- and ethanol-powered vehicles under its popular Commodore brand by 2012. The company said it was investing $40 million in its Fisherman’s Bend subsidiary that would provide the necessary advanced vehicle technologies. The company said that it was not convinced about diesel technology and that the volatility of diesel prices made it risky.

In other recent Australia news:

• BP has cancelled an agreement with Primary Energy to develop a $270 million, 50 Mgy ethanol plant at Kwinana. BP spokesmen said that changing economics forced the company to cancel an agreement with Primary Energy that was signed in 2006.

• In Australia, the Queensland University of Technology has proposed a $7 million pilot sugar cane ethanol plant for Mackay. University researchers have said that they expect to be able to produce up to 900 Mgy of ethanol using bagasse.

Opposition parties in Queensland introduced a bill for a ten percent ethanol mandate, with opposition leader Lawrence Springborg telling the Sunshine Coast Daily that “An ethanol mandate in Queensland could provide a massive kick-start to the fledgling renewable fuels industry, reduce Queensland’s reliance on imports, create jobs and improve air quality.” Queensland Premier Anna Bligh, expected to oppose the bill, said that the state will use five percent ethanol by 2010 without the mandate.

The Australian ethanol industry has hired auto-industry expert, Juliet Potter, a director of AutoChic, to promote Queensland’s +e ethanol campaign to women. Research in Australia has shown that acceptance and support for biofuels lags among women.

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  • GM CEO predicts 50% of US cars will be E85 capable by 2012
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  • Flex-fuel vehicles account for 86 percent of 2007 Brazilian car sales; 4.6 million flex-fuel cars on road
    • 86 percent of all cars sold in Brazil in 2007 were ethanol enabled. The registration of 2 million cars in 2007 takes the total of cars running on ethanol blends or pure E100 to 4.6 million. Brazil now...
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  • US state governments buying flex-fuel cars to avoid using…alternative fuels; exploiting loophole in federal law that requires alt energy vehicles, but not alt energy fuels
    • Using a loophole in federal law, states are buying flex-fuel cars in order to avoid using alternative fuels. More than 2,200 cars and light trucks have been purchased by the New Jersey state govern...
  • Thailand E85 tax incentive confusion has stymied flex-fuel car makers planning: ethanol glut looms as E85 takeoff delayed
    • In Thailand, observers say that the government needs to clarify the excise tax that will be imposed on E85, so that manufacturers can plan production volumes of flex-fuel cars, to avoid an ethanol glu...

    Written by Jim Lane · Filed Under International, The Daily Biofuel Summary 

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