Toyota Motors may enter the ethanol powered game if trading company Toyota Tsusho Corp. deems it a beneficial business venture, according to reports by Reuters.
Officials from the trading company have indicated they are currently conducting an ethanol production feasibility report in Brazil with the assistance of state controlled energy company Petrobras. If approved by Toyota, an all-new mill would likely find its place in the western state of Goias.
"At this point all we can say is that we are conducting a feasibility study into the possibility of producing ethanol from sugar canes, together with Petrobras," an unidentified Toyota Tsusho Corp. spokesman told the Brazilian daily Valor Economico.
Flex-fuel vehicles currently make up four-fifths of the automotive industry in Brazil. Mitsubishi began selling ethanol powered versions of its cars last year and has plans to introduce flex fuel rides to the U.S. sometime next year. Honda already offers Civic and Fit flex-fuel models in various world markets. There was no word if Toyota aims to offer their sugar cane powered rides stateside in the future, or if it plans to limit them within the Brazilian market.
Source: Reuters via Valor Economico