Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Dyson Racing debuts ethanol-biobutanol blend at Petit Le Mans]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/26/dyson-racing-debuts-ethanol-biobutanol-blend-at-petit-le-mans/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/26/dyson-racing-debuts-ethanol-biobutanol-blend-at-petit-le-mans/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/26/dyson-racing-debuts-ethanol-biobutanol-blend-at-petit-le-mans/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Dyson Racing B09/96 running at Mid-Ohio - click above for high-res image gallery

When we spoke with American Le Mans Series CEO Scott Atherton at the Detroit Auto Show last January, he revealed that discussions were being held between the series and parties interested in racing with a new fuel. At the time, he declined to reveal the nature of the fuel but expected to announce something during the 2009 season. We're now down to the second to last race of 2009 and a fourth series fuel has finally arrived.

Dyson Racing's LMP2 #16 Lola-Mazda is running unclassified at this weekend's Petit Le Mans because its fuel tank will be filled with a blend of biobutanol and ethanol. This is the first use of butanol in an ALMS car. Dyson has been working with its primary sponsor BP and engine supplier Mazda to develop the new fuel which is currently produced from sugar cane but can also be produced from cellulosic sources. Butanol has several advantages over ethanol including higher energy density allowing mileage and power closer to that of gasoline. What's more, because it doesn't have the same tendency to absorb water (which causes corrosion), it can be blended with gasoline in higher concentrations without modifying the engines. Hopefully, we'll see cars running for points fueled by butanol all season long in 2010. Check out our high-res gallery below and the official press release after the jump.


Gallery: Dyson Racing Mazda-Lola at Mid-Ohio


[Source: American Le Mans Series]
All photos Copyright (C)2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading Dyson Racing debuts ethanol-biobutanol blend at Petit Le Mans

Dyson Racing debuts ethanol-biobutanol blend at Petit Le Mans originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 26 Sep 2009 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>almsamerican le mansamerican le mans ser...american le mans seriesamerican le mans series green challengeamerican lemans seriesAmericanLeMansAmericanLeMansSer...AmericanLeMansSeriesAmericanLeMansSeriesGreenChallengebiobutanolbutanolbutanolfueldysondyson racingdyson racing lola mazdaDysonRacingDysonRacingLolaMazdaethanolethanol-butanol blendEthanol-butanolBlendfalselola-mazdapetit le mansPetitLeMansSat, 26 Sep 2009 16:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Panoz could return to ALMS prototype class with algae butanol power]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/20/panoz-could-return-to-alms-prototype-class-with-algae-butanol-po/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/20/panoz-could-return-to-alms-prototype-class-with-algae-butanol-po/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/20/panoz-could-return-to-alms-prototype-class-with-algae-butanol-po/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Don Panoz, founder of the American Le Mans Series, wants to return his brand back to the top ranks of the series and possibly bring a new greener fuel as well. Panoz spoke at press conference in the run up to Saturday's 12 Hours of Sebring and announced that the race car manufacturer he owns is working on a LMP1 class coupe. Like the Panoz GTR-1 that ran successfully both in ALMS and in Europe in the late '90s first in GT1 and later with modifications as P1 car, this one would be front-engined, which would make it unique in the class. Unlike the GTR-1, which used a Ford-based V8 engine, the new car will use Chevrolet power, likely derived from the Corvette C6R engine.

To really spice things up, though, Panoz also discussed the possibility of a new fuel to power the car: butanol derived from algae. Like ethanol, butanol is an alcohol, but with four carbon atoms rather than two. This gives it properties closer to gasoline and requires almost no modifications to the engine to use. Producing it from algae is also potentially much more cost effective and environmentally friendly than ethanol production.

When we spoke to ALMS CEO Scott Atherton at the Detroit Auto Show in January, he indicated that there was interest in bringing a fourth fuel into the mix along with diesel, E10, and cellulosic E85. ALMS spokesman Bob Dickinson has confirmed that he was talking about butanol. However, it was another manufacturer that first raised the possibility, so it was something of a surprise to hear Panoz bring it up. We still don't know if butanol will be approved for ALMS, but in the meantime, the new car could possibly race as soon as the season finale at Laguna Seca in October. Thanks to DC for the tip!

[Source: AutoWeek]

Panoz could return to ALMS prototype class with algae butanol power originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>american le mansamerican le mans ser...american le mans seriesamerican lemans seriesAmericanLeMansAmericanLeMansSer...AmericanLeMansSeriesbutanolPanozpanoz lmp1PanozLmp1Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:32:00 EST<![CDATA[DuPont chief calls on Detroit to make 'Car of the Future'... that uses his fuel]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/03/dupont-chief-calls-on-detroit-to-make-car-of-the-future-tha/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/03/dupont-chief-calls-on-detroit-to-make-car-of-the-future-tha/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/03/dupont-chief-calls-on-detroit-to-make-car-of-the-future-tha/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



It's debatable whether or not now is the right time to make changes in the way our cars are made, with some believing that Detroit should follow the path it's already on and others claiming there couldn't be a better time to make major sweeping changes. Count DuPont head Chad Holliday among the latter. Holliday's so-called "Detroit Project" would challenge American automakers to introduce a new "Car of the Future" that would achieve 75 miles per gallon and run on butanol - an alcohol fuel that DuPont just so happens to market itself.

Regardless of whether DuPont stands to benefit from this project, there are a few major hurdles to overcome, not the least of which is an initial $5 billion investment at a time when the Detroit 3 are asking for many times that from the government just to stay in business. We also see problems getting proposed collaborators such as Intel, Microsoft, Dell, Boeing and Google all working on the same page. Schools such as MIT, the Georgia Tech, and the University of Michigan could also be involved, according to Holliday. No problem, right?

Getting an automobile to run on butanol isn't a problem, it's been done over and over again. Yes, it is a cleaner fuel that may be a better choice overall than ethanol, but coming from the head of a company with a vested interest comes off as a bit disingenuous. It also reminds us of something we heard the other day...

[Source: Detroit News]

DuPont chief calls on Detroit to make 'Car of the Future'... that uses his fuel originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biobutanolbutanolchad hollidayChadHollidaydetroit projectDetroitProjectdupontWed, 03 Dec 2008 16:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Will requiring flex-fuel capable cars free us from foreign oil?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/02/will-requiring-all-cars-to-be-flex-fuel-capable-free-us-from-for/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/02/will-requiring-all-cars-to-be-flex-fuel-capable-free-us-from-for/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/02/will-requiring-all-cars-to-be-flex-fuel-capable-free-us-from-for/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Robert Zubrin thinks so. Zubrin is an aerospace engineer and long-time advocate of manned missions to Mars. While going to Mars is a highly dubious proposition given the issues we need to deal with on our planet right now, making all gasoline engines flex-fuel capable as Zubrin promotes in his new book is probably a very good idea. The incremental cost of flex-fuel capability is only about $100 per vehicle and that would provide the ability to use any alcohol fuel including methanol and butanol. The corn ethanol that we use today will make little if any dent in our oil imports.

Cellulosic ethanol, methanol and butanol do hold a lot of promise, though. Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit and his wife, Helen Smith, have an interesting interview with Zubrin on their podcast that's worth a listen. Some of Zubrin's arguments for using alcohol fuels are a bit over simplistic and ignore some of the pitfalls associated with them. That includes draining fields of nutrients if all the leftover material is converted to fuel. Alcohol fuels are unlikely to free us from oil dependence on their own, although they can make a dent. What they can really do is help diversify energy supplies and domestically produced fuels can also help to fund research into other renewable energy sources. What we really need to do, however, is find different ways to reduce our total consumption of energy while maintaining our current lifestyles. Let the flames begin!

[Source: Instapundit]

Will requiring flex-fuel capable cars free us from foreign oil? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Jan 2008 15:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alcohol-fuelsbutanolethanolflex-fuelglenn-reynoldshelen-smithinstapunditmethanolrobert-zubrinWed, 02 Jan 2008 15:27:00 EST<![CDATA[AutoblogGreen for 01.01.07]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/01/autobloggreen-for-01-01-07/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/01/autobloggreen-for-01-01-07/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/01/autobloggreen-for-01-01-07/#commentsFiled under: ,



OK, it was a really busy three days over on AutoblogGreen. Our latest feature story, an in-depth look at biobutanol, went live on Saturday, but there were plenty of other green driving stories at the end of the year. If you're awake enough to enjoy some news about driving smarter, click on any of the links below. Happy 2007.

AutoblogGreen for 01.01.07 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 01 Jan 2007 06:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biobutanolbutanolMon, 01 Jan 2007 06:02:00 EST