Ethanol Car

The Advent of the Ethanol Car

The ethanol car is quickly becoming quite popular due to the increasing price of traditional gasoline and an increased awareness of the environment. Though the United States has embraced ethanol cars, especially in the Midwest, it seems that Brazil is outpacing the U.S. in its drive to create an affordable, efficient ethanol car. Brazil utilizes what are called flex fuel cars, capable of running on gasoline, ethanol, or a combination of each. The need for this type of car came about a few years ago when Brazil experienced a shortage of ethanol fuel. Those who drove the ethanol-only cars were left by the side of the road without fuel to power their cars. With the advent of the new technology, consumers are assured that they will have fuel when they need it. An ethanol car allows citizens and countries to save money. For example, in Brazil the cost of ethanol fuel is about half of what one would pay for a comparable amount of oil-based fuel. This allows the citizens of Brazil to spend their money on other things, such as newer technologies. They can also invest more and export some of the excess fuel, bringing in more money. It is estimated that if the United States were to follow in the footsteps of Brazil, the country could save up to $2 trillion dollars per year. But the ethanol car is also good for the environment. The emissions produced from these cars are much less volatile that the emissions from a traditional car. Ethanol burns much cleaner and leaves fewer pollutants in the air. Since corn, wheat, barley, and sugarcane are renewable, there is no fear of depleting the Earth of its valuable resources. Damage from mining is also avoided. Crops are simply harvested and processed. They are crushed, milled, fermented, and distilled, leaving pure alcohol to burn in an ethanol car.