Good bye gasoline car production in Brazil?

Approximately 80% of Brazil’s gasoline-only car production has disappeared over the past 10 years.

While 882,395 gasoline cars were manufactured in 2007, the country only produced 174,506 units in 2017 (707,889 less), according to a 2018 transportation infrastructure report released by national transport federation CNT.

Meanwhile, 1.29 million flex-fuel vehicles (apt to run on gasoline and sugar cane-based ethanol) were produced in 2007 and 1.6 million in 2017 (310,000 more). As for diesel cars, 29,744 were produced in 2007 and only 4,764 in 2017 (24,980 less).

In Brazil’s largest city, São Paulo, the current price of ethanol (2.40 BRL per liter or US$0.64) is equivalent to about 60% the price of gasoline (4.00 BRL).  At this price, many are opting for ethanol as it runs about 70% the efficiency (kilometers per liter) of gasoline in the country.

Note: About one quarter of Brazil's gasoline mix is actually ethanol.