Does Corn, Cadillac Esclade and Formula 1 have anything in common? Next year, they could !

Following the trend set by other racing series’ like IndyCars and the American Le Mans Series, Formula 1, in a move to make the scenario much greener and eco-friendly, is looking at ethanol to be the sport’s adopted fuel.

According to retired two-time champion Emerson Fittipaldi, Formula 1 boss Bernie Eccelstone met Brazilian ethanol suppliers last year. Fittipaldi himself owns a sugar cane plantation in his home country Brazil, and is presently constructing an ethanol refinery to produce the fuel.

F1 teams are already preparing their cars to function with a hybrid drive system for next year’s races and this move is a direct indication of Formula 1’s concern and interestedness in adopting biofuels to save the planet and shed their dependency on crude oil which has become costlier.

Racing on ethanol fuel will not contain the thrill or the speed. All cars in the IndyCar series use E100 ethanol as fuel. In the ALMS some of the teams including the GT1 Corvette C6Rs use cellulosic E85. The Audi R10s run on GTL diesel fuel while the rest of the pack is fueled by E10 meaning cars won’t get slower due to the switch in fuel.

It is official. GM announced today that all 2009 Escalades will be flexfuel capable- will run on E85 or conventional gasoline or a mixture of both.

E85, a mixture of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline is a clean burning fuel that can cut down green house gases by as much as 23% compared with normal gasoline. The flexfuel Escalades is the company’s latest move to reach its goal of selling half of its vehicles produced in the U.S flexfuel capable by the year 2012. 12 new E85 stations were inaugurated earlier this week by GM and many more are set to come in the future to serve the vehicles.

Entire press release after the jump!

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In a move by the Dubai Government to curb pollution and fuel usage on taxis, ten General Motors’ Chevrolet Tahoe hybrid SUV’s started their test runs in the city.

This is not the first time that a government is looking at alternative sources of energy to propel taxis. New York City is presently using Ford Escape Hybrids. The trial program was flagged off by His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai at a function held at the Monarch Hotel in Dubai. The guests at the program were also treated with a  “documentary” on hybrids that portrayed the efforts to reduce emissions and fuel consumption in the UAE (of which Dubai is a part).

GM’s press release after the jump!

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A new entrant in the world of alternate-fuels, Ronn Motor Company has come out with a 40 mpg hydrogen hybrid car named Scorpion. Hydrogen hybrid? Yes! and it is a very interesting concept.

The Scorpion is capable of achieving a 0-60 mph sprint in a supercarish 3.5 secs and an awe-inspiring top speed of 200 mph. The system behind all of this is as impressive as the performance.

Hydrogen is obtained by breaking water molecules absorbed from water stored in a small tank. The liberated hydrogen is then sent into the intake manifold where it blends with gasoline in a 30 to 40 percent ratio. The concoction is fed into a 3.5 liter, VTEC, V-6 Acura engine. As the water from the tank produces the requires hydrogen, the system completely does away with filling stations or high pressures lines and tanks. Pretty smart then!

Press Release after the jump!

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