Toyota Introduces Cars That Run On Ethanol And Gasoline in Brazil

Toyota is introducing cars that run on ethanol and gasoline in Brazil at a time when such flexible-fuel vehicles are growing in popularity there.

Toyota's Brazil unit said in a release Wednesday it will start selling two new flex-fuel Corolla models that surpass the performance of the gas-fueled Corollas now on the market in the country.

It is targeting monthly sales of 2,500 of the Corolla Flex and 750 of the Corolla Fielder Flex model.

The models, which Toyota said underline its strategy to adapt to regional needs, are the first the company is selling that can run on up to 100 percent bioethanol, the automaker said.


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silverarrow2 - 5/23/2007 2:46:51 PM

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I gues that's news right?

drew630 - 5/23/2007 3:00:49 PM

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Wow, so it took Toyota this long.

Will_ - 5/23/2007 3:34:02 PM

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"The models, which Toyota said underline its strategy to adapt to regional needs..."

Ethanol doesn't meet North American or European needs at the moment. Keep your hats on.

Ironman273 - 5/23/2007 5:54:10 PM

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Ethanol vehicles have been used in Brazil for a while now. Their popularity was big in the mid 80s and then waned. Now its seeing an upswing. Although ethanol may be some sort of stop gap solution it is not a good long term solution. The amount of food products that would have to be diverted towards fule products along with the reduced mileage of ethanol engines makes it too expensive to keep going.

BTW, while the picture may be accurate for the US market of ethanol, the Brazilian market of ethanol is made from sugar cane.

enthusiastx11 - 5/23/2007 6:40:23 PM

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this is a good thing. brazil--unlike the US--produces environmentally-friendly sugar cane ethanol. the US government protects and subsidizes corn farmers so we only get the environmentally unsound corn-based ethanol. what a government fuck up.