One alternative fuel area where Japanese automakers have shown comparatively little interest, until recently, is biofuels. Toyota has announced plans to offer a flex-fuel version of the Tundra and Honda offers flex-fuel Civics in Brazil. Toyota also recently announced a cellulosic ethanol partnership . Honda has now announced plans to build a new R&D facility in Japan that will focus on producing biofuels from non-food feedstocks. The 1,050 m 2 lab is expected to be completed and operating by November of this year. Honda has been working with the Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth since 2006 and began operating an experimental production facility in 2007. So far, Honda hasn’t given any indication that it will offer any flex-fuel vehicles in the U.S. market. Perhaps now that Honda has backed off from its plans to offer diesels in the U.S. market and only plans to offer hybrids in small cars, we may start to see the company embrace ethanol. [Source: Honda] Continue reading Honda to build cellulosic ethanol research facility Filed under: Ethanol , Honda Honda to build cellulosic ethanol research facility originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments

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Honda to build cellulosic ethanol research facility