Reuters story from Christiaan Hetzner on automakers, internationally, and their level of interest and commitment to biofuels as alternates to gas, diesel fuel and liquid petroleum gas (LPG).
Car makers are having to cover at least two new bases while transitioning from standard fuel engines to fuel cells, which are the likely long term winners. In the transition period, car makers will need to satisfy a burgeoning number of drivers and commuters who will be migrating to both hybrid fuel vehicles and traditional engines modified to run on ethanol. On top of getting it right on the fuel technology choice to spend money and production on is directing research at squeezing greater fuel efficiency out of traditional and biofuel engines without sacrificing too much on performance.

The European auto industry, represented by the European Automobile Manufacturer's Association, have signed a voluntary agreement with the EU on reducing CO2 emissions in passenger cars by 25% by 2008. The challenge will be to sustain performance and power expectations of consumers while finding the technologies to meet the emissions targets and enhanced fuel efficiency.