Car Club Blog

There is probably nothing more American than niches. Many of our most formidable industries started out as niches. For example, the automobile, beer, and technology all started out as niche endeavors.

And there is no secret to what motivates a niche industry…need! Well, unless you’ve been living under a rock, you are aware that the greatest need in United States, if not the world, is relief at the gas pump.

Within this context, it is predictable that many niche businesses will pop up offering any number of possible solutions to the gas price dilemma. One such invention is the E-Fuel 100 MicroFueler. Hat tip to CS Magor at Uber Review for the tip on this nifty item.

What does this device do you ask? Well think of gas tank and a distillery all rolled into one. Oh, and it fits in your garage.

Basically, the MicroFueler takes raw materials and turns them into car-friendly ethanol. The main ingredient of choice is sugar, and lots of it. It takes about 10 to 14 pounds of sugar (and some yeast) to produce a gallon of ethanol.

That makes the cost efficiency of the MicroFueler dependant on the cost of sugar, or other ingredients used.

Perhaps even more favorable as an ethanol source in the unit is stale beer. Because the beer has already been through the fermentation process, it is ready for ethanol conversion.
If all this sounds too good to be true, there are some negatives to consider.

First, the MicroFeuler costs about $10,000. This means you’re going to have to drive a lot of miles to pay for the unit, even assuming your final gasoline (or ethanol) costs are less than what you get at conventional pumps. Also, you have to have a car with an engine that accepts ethanol as fuel.

“There’s not a chance that we’ll be running our Dallas exotic car rentals on ethanol from sugar any time soon,” warns Ron Sturgeon, an owner of a luxury car rental company.

“Warranty issues and the desire to follow the recommended care advice from the makers prevent us from considering the Microfueler,” said the Texan. “Still, I think it’s a sweet idea, and I wish them well in bringing it to market,” said the Dallas luxury car rental company executive.

American ingenuity will find an answer to the rising gas prices. And it’s likely to be entrepreneurs unafraid to try a bold answer who will lead us to energy independence.

Written by G.D. Gregory. If you are interested in having me write stories for you or seeing my portfolio, please contact me at ggpsu@yahoo.com.