Dongfeng Motor Corporation, one of China's largest auto makers,
has completed its initial research of using hydrous ethanol in
automobiles.
The new technology could produce combustible gas, mainly
hydrogen, from hydrous ethanol that contained 65 percent ethanol.
The present ethanol-fueled vehicles needed pure ethanol blended
with gas, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers
said.
Experts said producing 65 percent ethanol could save up to 60
percent of energy compared with producing the same amount of pure
ethanol, as dehydration was energy-consuming.
The use of hydrous ethanol, unlike some synthetic fuels that
required adapted engines, only needed an additional device to be
fixed on present engines. Thus, it was more likely to be accepted
by consumers.
The company planned to set up an ethanol-fueled car production
plant by the end of 2008. This included a design and test center,
as well as an assembly plant for ethanol engines.
The plant was expected to produce a small amount of ethanol cars
by year-end.
(Xinhua News Agency January 2, 2008)
