For all those who dont know what a flexfuel engine is yet, its a modified engine from the factory that can run on either ethanol or gas, depending on fuel availability. Pros of E85 fuel are higher octane then premium (103) and cleaner burning (less pollution).

I emailed chevy asking if they have any 4 cylinder flexfuel engines in development for 2007:

I have recently learned that chevy offers many trucks and cars that can run
on E 85 fuel. However, this option is not offered on the cobalt, or any other 4
cylinder cars. I plan on purchasing a cobalt ss at the end of the summer and
would like to take advantage of this fuel. Does GM have any 4 cylinder engines
in development for flexfuel? If not, could my suggestion at least be accepted?
I like the action Chevy is taking to help the country solve its fuel demand. I
just hope there is enough demand for a flexfuel cobalt before the 2007
production begins.
Thank You

Answer

Thank you for contacting Chevrolet regarding our ethanol (E85) - flex-fuel
vehicles! General Motors would like to apologize for the delay in responding to
your email inquiry. Your email is very important to us and we regret any
inconvenience that this may have caused. At this time, we still do not have any
information regarding whether a 4-cylinder vehicle will be offered with E85
capability. We apologize for any inconvenience. To obtain more information on
our plans for alternative fuel vehicles, please visit www.gmaltfuel.com.

If you need additional information or have further questions, please let us know
via email or by calling Chevrolet at 1-800-950-2438, between 8:00 AM-11:00 PM
Eastern Time, seven days a week. Again, thank you for contacting Chevrolet!

Sincerely,



What is everyones imput on this issue, Who wants to run 103 octane in their engine and reduce their pollution at the same time!

 

why in the world would you put the NWS icon on your title?

 

I think for some reason people think it says NEWS.....

 

yeah, i agree. gonna take it off. only reason i clicked on this thread was cuz i thought there was gonna be some nudity. so misleading.

 

lol, perv

 

well....my parents own a corn farm....

So im all for it.

 

Ethanol needs to become a mroe readily available fuel before anyone starts to develop 4 cylinder engines for it. I know you can find wthanol at most stations in the midwest but even here in Michigan I have yet to see it at a pump. I like the idea of it. anything to supplement oil.

 

I thought E85 was super-cool, but... the problem is this solution cannot be mass produced, so they can't really change over all their engines. The amount of energy from 1 barrell for flexfuel is MUCH less than the energy produced from 1 barrell of oil.

Also, right now, we are only using a product that must be farmed. This means that we need space in order to grow crop to change to fuel (another option is use the corn used for animal feed, since pure protein is better feed than a mix of starch and protein).

 

I doubt we'll see a flex-fuel 4 cylinder. GM is focusing on the more "gas guzzling" engines... V8's and such b/c they're seen as more polluting. I still can't imagine using E85 in my Cobalt... even if it could. Sure... the octane is nice... but I got this car to get better fuel mileage... not worse.

 

Well, there is a very large number of farmers who each year are paid by the goverment not to grow corn. Also, recent(in the last year) developments in the brewing process of ethonal has allowed it to be created from cornstalkes as well as from the actual corn.

On a simi related note. It took 10 years to completely go from leaded gasoline to unleaded gasoline.

 

I'd use it for sure. I'm all for lessening our dependence on OPEC for our energy. The problem is that I've yet to see a gas station here that has an E85 pump!

 

Another reason they don't do 4-cyl or anything really other than the big 8's is that there just isn't enough to go around yet. (I think someone else mentioned the same thing) It's not really a matter of technology, but they don't want to flood the market with E85 engines only to have a small percentage of people able to afford it.

 

Flexfuel vicheals only have different fuel systems.(gas tank, fuel pump, fuel lines and fuel injectors) Other than that it is just a sensor that sense the amount of ethanol in the fuel and a program to adjust the timeing accordingly. Buying the FFV version of a vehicel is a FREE option. You dont have to pay for it. It is also adviable on some V6s. Including the Impalas/Monte Carlos.

 

The 4cyl S-10s had it, I know my girlfriend's does anyway. The part I wonder about is with the catalytic converters, do they still function properly with a different mix of fuel, I've also heard the exaust from E85 is more polluting in some ways, maybe that has something to do with the cat?

 

opps, my bad, i thought i hit the exclamation icon. Anyways...

Yeah it is a free option, and most chevy v6 and v8 engines are beign converted to flexfuel.

the price difference isnt bad. compared to premium, I think it would be the same. This is because you get less MPG, however it is cheaper than regular per gallon.

And yes, a huge obsticle is going to be the infrastructure. The all ready existing pipelines cannot move corn oil becasue it would corrode the metal. Therefore it has to be move by freight, truck and train. Because America has vastly moved away from train transportation, it is going to be hard to hull mass quantities of E85 to every state.

P.S. Becasue Minnisota has passed various laws concerning the availabbility of E85, the state now has over two hundred E85 gas stations.

 

CBS Evening News had an article on Ehtanol E85 tonight.

They reported that there are 33 refineries being built for FlexFuel! That's right.

THIRTY THREE!!! with upto 8 running by the end of 07

 

Sorry, bad choice of words. I don't mean that they can't afford the system, I know it's built in. I meant that if too many people are running E85 and want to start using ethanol, the demand will overwhelm our ability to supply it, and the price will skyrocket. They have to release it into the market place gradually.

 

it can smell like french fries?

 

see i'm from the London Ontario Canada area and its probably more commen then uncommon to see ethanol as an option at the pumps.

 

Biodiesel smells like fast foods not E85.

Also, last time I checked FFV's did cost more b/c of the upgraded/additional equipment required to be a dual fuel vehicle.