Volkswagen Plans to Launch Ethanol-Powered Electric Car and Claims that the Key to the Future Lies in Ethanol
CEO of Volkswagen Brazil and Latin America, Pablo Di Si, emphasized this type of technology involving ethanol and electric cars, advocating for greater commitment from the parties involved and research for its development as a viable solution for the Brazilian market.
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The executive recalled that the electric car has many challenges, and among the key issues are the battery and the infrastructure for charging, which as we know, require high investments.
Because of this, Di Si bets that ethanol fuel cell technology could be an alternative to batteries, leveraging the possibilities that the plant-based fuel offers in the country.
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After practically banning gasoline cars in Brazil, ethanol may become a key player in accelerating the energy transition process in the country.
The sugarcane sector also argues that the fuel cell that produces hydrogen from ethanol is more efficient: the technology, which is still under development, consists of separating hydrogen from ethanol and producing electricity through a chemical process within the vehicle itself.
Ethanol in Brazil
The transition of the automotive industry to the electric car is already a reality, and Brazil must take advantage of ethanol, stated Pablo Di Si, the president of Volkswagen in Latin America and Brazil, during the Live from Valor.
He noted that one of the main challenges of the electric car is the issue of batteries and refueling and advocates for investments in research so that ethanol can be used in this industry.
“It’s not just important to have the electric car, but also how to fuel it. And why not use ethanol? The technology doesn’t exist today, but we have ethanol and, with research, we can [achieve this]. We need to study how to convert this ethanol and fuel the electric car, not only in Brazil but also in the United States and China,” he said.

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