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Published on January 17, 2008

"After the test, together with auto companies, we can assess when auto-makers will be ready to produce vehicles that are compatible with E85," Tawarat Sutabud, director of the Policy and Strategy Coordination Office, said yesterday.

The test drive will involve 30-50 vehicles of various brands specifically imported for the test, through cooperation with auto companies and organisations, he said.

E85 will be priced below E20, which contains only 20-per-cent ethanol.

After gasohol E10, the Energy Ministry has launched a series of alternative fuels to reduce oil imports.

While aiming to introduce E85, it also plans to bring out B2 and B5 biodiesel, of which pure biodiesel will be 2 and 5 per cent, respectively.

The ministry also said from January 1-12, oil consumption had dropped 3.5 per cent from the same period last year.

Petrol consumption was down to 19.16 million litres a day, while diesel stood at 50.9 million litres a day.

Gasohol consumption stayed at 6.7 million litres, with gasohol 95 at 5.3 million, gasohol 91 at 1.4 million litres and gasohol E20 at 5,000 litres. Gasohol E20 only became available on January 1.

Auto companies have so far warmly embraced the government's policy to promote ethanol mixed with petrol. More and more car companies have slashed prices for their E20-compatible vehicles in response to the Kingdom's giving excise-duty breaks on such vehicles.

Mazda Sales (Thailand) became the latest to reveal special pricing on E20 cars, saying that every E20-compatible Mazda 3 model has enjoyed a price cut of up to Bt54,000 since January 1.

Managing director John Ray said this was to encourage car buyers to help reduce global warming by conserving energy and the environment.

While ready to deliver any of these models immediately at a starting price of Bt775,900, the company also gave assurances that Mazda 3 models delivered to customers last year could run on all kinds of petrol, including gasohol E10 and E20.

On other energy-conservation programmes, the Energy Ministry also plans to campaign for keeping air-conditioner temperatures at 26 degrees Celsius during the summer and for using energy-saving light bulbs.

It is expected that power consumption demand will peak at 23,340 megawatts.

The Nation