BD in an ATV

I caught wind of this the other day while poking around for interesting alternative fuel news items. Looks like some non-automotive enterprises are getting in on the act and taking a look at biofuels to power the equipment they manufacture. Arctic Cat Company plans to unveil a biodiesel (BD) fueled ATV (all-terrain vehicle) to the public in late 2006. Although I did take a peek at the manufacturer's website, I was unable to find mention of it yet.

This Cat has a relatively simple 686-cc twin cylinder single cam diesel engine that offers about 30% better fuel efficiency than its gasoline counterpart—a hallmark of diesels is their bird-like fuel appetite. Very impressed with its bodiesel test results, Arctic Cat decided to affix a fuel tag to the vehicle suggesting that it be fueled with the biodiesel blend B20.

I think this product is great idea, and I believe that farmers and ranchers alike will latch onto them with such devotion that they’ll sell like hotcakes. --Scott