Refiners and blenders pocket 45 cents for every gallon of ethanol blended with gasoline. The subsidy, courtesy of the U.S. government, helps the industry stay afloat amidst the dwindling demand for gasoline and increasing costs of ethanol production. It's been argued that, without the subsidy, the ethanol industry would die a quick death. If a report from BusinessWeek turns out to be true, then the industry might soon be dealt a glancing blow.

BusinessWeek reports that the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee is considering a 20 percent reduction in ethanol subsidies, from the current 45 cents to just 36 cents per gallon of ethanol. The reduction would help cut government spending at the expense of ethanol refiners and blenders across the nation. The pressure to reduce the subsidy comes because the Committee is faced with the challenging task of extending the ethanol credit before it expires December 31. The proposal to reduce the credit is a compromise to please members of the committee who would rather see it vanish altogether.

[Source: BusinessWeek | Image: Jan Tik – C.C. License 2.0]

As Nissan's launch of the Leaf electric vehicle draws near, the company is ready to get public input to help guide the process through the final steps. Nissan recently launched the "Leaf Online Research Panel" and emailed hand-raisers in hopes that their active participation will help the company "lay the groundwork for a successful launch of the amazing Nissan Leaf, and for a future in 100 percent electric mobility." The research panel will be tasked with participating in monthly focus groups, answering brief surveys and taking part in interviews.

In related news, Nissan is now sending out approval notices to those who qualify for a free charger courtesy of the EV Project. Many qualified hand-raisers have received this notice from Nissan:

You've been approved for your home charging dock and installation as part of the U.S. government's EV Project. You will be contacted by ECOtality in the near future to discuss the next steps. Installation of your home charging dock will be scheduled approximately a month before delivery of your Nissan Leaf.

As Nissan inches closer to the big debut, we continue to be amazed by the company's efforts to make the journey towards a gasoline-free future a success. Hat tip to Evnow!

[Source: My Nissan Leaf]

Numerous reports have suggested that China envisions a future in which it leads all nations in the race towards developing and producing hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs). Given the country's sheer size and massive production capabilities, this vision might seem both doable and probable. But, if struggles encountered by China's BYD Auto give us any indication of what we can expect from the nation's automakers as a whole, then the chances of China dominating the battery-powered world seems rather slim.

As outlined by Plugin Cars, BYD has suffered from a series of setbacks as it moves towards mass production of hybrids and EVs:

• Back in April of 2009, China's electric car plans made headlines. The country announced its goal of selling 500,000 EVs per year by 2011, but has failed to get even remotely close to that mark. Sales now stand at a few thousand per year.
• BYD made appearances at several major auto shows and claimed that its E6 electric SUV could cover 250 miles on a single charge. The company has failed to display a working prototype that can meet the claimed 250-mile range and may not release a production E6 in the U.S. by year's end, thus failing to deliver on its promise.
• In March of this year, BYD claimed that it had become the world's first automaker to offer a mass-produced plug-in hybrid to the public. To date, BYD's F3DM plug-in has amassed fewer than 100 sales, most of which went to government fleets.

While BYD has failed to deliver on some of its promises, it's unfair to imply that China will fall short of reaching its hybrid and electric goals. This is simply a reminder that the healthy dose of skepticism that we routinely apply to claims made by automakers can transfer over to the dreams of a nation as well. Hat tip to Greg!



[Source: Plugin Cars]

Autocar is reporting that Nissan is seriously considering relaunching a reborn 200SX (Silvia) fastback to compete with the likes of the current Mazda RX-8, possible upcoming RX-7, Volkswagen Scirocco and Renault Megane. The reborn 200SX would slot in beneath the company's 370Z and give Nissan a fuel-efficient, affordable two-door coupe to take on a growing list of competitors.

Nissan's decision to axe the 200SX back in 2002 has left the company with a gaping hole in the low-cost, rear-wheel drive sports car category, thus allowing the competition to swoop up sales with new model introductions. As Nissan aims to re-enter the market with the 200SX, finding a suitable platform has proved challenging. According to Autocar, platform options are limited to just a cut-down 370Z chassis, but that may prove to be too heavy for the 200SX. We're hoping that Nissan can work something out and introduce an efficient, budget-friendly fastback soon.

[Source: Autocar | Image: David Locke1 – C.C. License 2.0]

The three-year-long wait for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt's official U.S. price tag will finally be over in less than 24 hours. At the Plug-In 2010 Conference in San Jose, California on Tuesday, GM VP of Marketing Joel Ewanick will announce pricing details and the ordering process for the Volt. Following the announcement, there will be a live online webchat with Volt Marketing Director Tony DiSalle.

While we're waiting for the official announcement (we'll have the chat available here on AutoblogGreen, too), you can through to the jump for a brief press release and then take our poll below.

[Source: General Motors]

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Plug-in Conversions Corporation (PICC) is well known for its over-the-top Toyota Prius conversions. From its conversion kit that allows the Prius to scoot past 70 miles per hour under electric power alone to its tweaks that bestow the Prius with a boost in electric range, PICC has always found a way to breathe new life into the Prius hybrid. PICC founder Kim Adelman is constantly looking for ways to eke out more green performance from Toyota's iconic hybrid.

PICC's latest achievement is perhaps its crowning glory. By stuffing a 12.5 kWh Gold Peak lithium-ion battery pack into the confines of a 2010 Toyota Prius, PICC has managed to create a plug-in hybrid that's capable of driving at highway speeds for up to 40 miles under electric power alone. The 40-mile range far exceeds that of Toyota's own plug-in Prius and matches the capability of the Chevrolet Volt. The converted Prius recently competed in a 24-mile road rally outside of Madison, WI and PICC claims the converted Prius averaged a remarkable 245 miles per gallon over the 24-mile course that included travel on county roads, city streets and highways.

Additional testing is underway and some tweaks will be made before PICC offers its latest conversion kit to consumers. Pricing has not been announced, but the kit's release is tentatively scheduled for three to six months from now. Interested?

[Source: EV World]

In the alternative energy vehicle category, the choices run the gamut from battery-powered and solar, to diesel, wind-driven and everything in between. Though often overlooked, propane-powered vehicles also make the exhaustive list of alt-energy vehicles. Propane-powered vehicles are often referred to by other names including liquefied petroleum gas, LPG, LP gas or LNG vehicles. Regardless of name, LPG is typically touted as a low-carbon, low-polluting fuel that offers the benefit of reduced emissions compared to gasoline. Despite the benefits, LPG has yet to make waves in the automotive industry.

Argonne National Laboratory recently conducted an extensive study to determine the usefulness of LPG as an alternative fuel and discovered that LP gas is practical, easily obtainable and could prove to be less costly than conventional fuels. Argonne concludes:

Enough propane to fuel targeted fleet vehicles appears to be available, with expansion opportunities apparent in the school bus, taxicab, police, and paratransit markets. It is possible to secure long-term contracts for propane at a lower price than conventional fuels, infrastructure is relatively inexpensive to build, new vehicle products are coming online, and an extensive network of 25,000 propane fuel distributors already exists; these facts underscore the very favorable opportunities in place to expand the use of propane in transportation.

As the study predicts, we can expect propane to quickly gain popularity in the commercial fleet market, but the lack of a nationwide infrastructure may keep propane-powered vehicles out of the public's grasp for some time. Click here (PDF) to read the entire Argonne report.

[Source: Argonne National Laboratory | Image: David A. Villa – C.C. License 2.0]

While fire-breathing performance cars and hot rods are car-show fixtures, there aren't many environmentally friendly car shows out there, so Prince Charles is having one in his front yard. The Prince of Wales will open his gardens at Clarence House to the public from September 8–19 (neighboring gardens at Lancaster House and Marlborough House will also open their respective gardens) for what's being dubbed "The Garden Party to Make a Difference." Proceeds from the event will support the Prince's Charities Foundation, whose aim is to help people, "lead more sustainable lives and to show what a more energy efficient, cleaner and healthier future could look like." Like, say, converting your Aston Martin to run on alcohol fuel and your Range Rover and Jaguars to biodiesel.

The garden party will feature a number of eco-friendly vehicles, music, comedy acts and a race from Glasgow to London pitting the sustainable stallions against the Prince's royal train, which runs on waste vegetable oil. Entry to the gardens costs £15 (about $23 USD), but the display of green cars is free. Is a green car show worth a trip across The Pond? We're thinking no – unless of course we can burn some rubber racing Charles' choo-choo – all in the name of environmental responsibility.

[Source: Auto Express | Image: Saab]

Porsche has been dabbling in vehicle electrification over the last several years, ranging from the plug-in hybrid 918 Spyder concept and the 911 GT3R hybrid racer to the new Cayenne hybrid that recently went into production. The latest addition to the electric drive program is a trio of experimental Boxsters that are powered purely by electrons.

Porsche has yet to reveal any technical details about the three drop-top EVs, but they will be used to test the drivetrain systems as well as infrastructure needs. Porsche has indicated that it's interested in a production version of the 918 Spyder and is likely using these Boxsters to evaluate the battery systems, along with the motors and power electronics.



[Source: Porsche]

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Say you've managed to save up $250,000 and want to splurge by laying it all out on some big ticket item. We can think of countless ways to spend all that coin and we'd bet that you can too. But have you ever considered buying a record-setting electric vehicle (EV) with your hard-earned cash? Maybe not, but KleenSpeed thinks you should.

Wired notes that KleenSpeed's WX10 prototype electric racer is up for sale. The WX10, driven by KleenSpeed founder Timothy Collins, lapped the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in 1:42.5 at a blistering average speed of 94 miles per hour, topping all of the electric contenders present at the Refuel electric road race. Collins said that the WX10 delivers, "instantaneous torque that creates a unique combination of explosive response and a smoother driving experience." If you've got a hankering to give this unique electric ride a try, get in touch with KleenSpeed, pony up the dough and the WX10 could be yours. Dreams of buying a new house, yacht or Ferrari can wait because the unique opportunity to own this record-setter won't last for long. Click here to watch the WX10 take a trip through the famed corkscrew at Laguna Seca and imagine it in your driveway. It's free to dream, at least.

[Source: Wired]