we have used real high comp ratios, and go to extremes to get any that we can. and the truth is, ethanol doesnt have the punch of gas. we dont use 80-87 in our tests. 13:1 we dont consider that high. 17:1 is.
although its not your average HONDA engine, http://racing.honda.com/about/engine.aspx
fact is, ethanol simply doesnt have the energy of gas. your dreaming if you think you could modify an engine to make it do so.
we did what we could to get ethanol to perform at its best, it just aint got it! get it? sorry.

 

I appreciate the feedback. I completely understand that there is less energy per volume in ethanol than in gasoline. My point is that if you want to get, for instance, 110hp out of an ethanol version of the Fit motor you could do it, but it wouldn't be a flex-fuel motor.

 

interestingly, honda jointly creates process, to make ethanol from biomass
http://world.honda.com/news/2006/c06...ulosicBiomass/

 

But wait! there's more!

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/business...15TDY08006.htm

Honda to produce E100 capable flex fuel Ciic and Fit for the Brazilian market.

 

the gas here in virginia has 10% ethanol. I dont like it

 

Even though ethanol alternative fuel doesn't have the right stuff in terms of qualities of a performing fuel power, you have to appreciate the competition. Gas prices have been noticably dropping and I am pretty sure that the threat of e85 becoming an alternative for some consumers have big oil pinching their huge profit margin somewhat.

 

Thats true, gas has been pretty cheap lately. Its all the way down to 2.27 for 87 here in Texas.

 

The lack of efficiency from Ethanol fuel as it is consumed by a car certainly diminishes any advantages seen at the pump price...especially when you consider that the government subsidies for Ethanol are as high as 50 cents per gallon, which, I do not believe includes the subsidies farmers receive for growing the corn in the first place. Combining this information with the lack of an overall reduction in green house gasses ultimately gives us very little incentive to use current corn-based Ethanol.

I understand the desire to reduce dependence on foreign oil, but without increased drilling in Alaska, Canada and the Siberian tundra there is very little we can do to get out of the middle east.

As an added alternative to corn-based ethanol there is a new recycling process that essentially produces 2 biproducts - a natural gas like substance and refineable oil. It'll take just about any non-metal product for recycling...which means that current discussion surrounds the strip-mining of landfills. The cost of the material, of course, would be almost purely cost of transport. It's cheaper and more efficient that corn-based ethanol.