Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BOGOTA969
2009-03-20 15:53:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Bogota
Cable title:  

COLOMBIA: ANNUAL ALTERNATIVE FUEL/HYBRID ELECTRIC

Tags:  ATRN AMGT ASUP ENRG CO 
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VZCZCXYZ0013
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBO #0969 0791553
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 201553Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7886
UNCLAS BOGOTA 000969 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ATRN AMGT ASUP ENRG CO
SUBJECT: COLOMBIA: ANNUAL ALTERNATIVE FUEL/HYBRID ELECTRIC
VEHICLE SURVEY

REF: SECSTATE 20845

UNCLAS BOGOTA 000969

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ATRN AMGT ASUP ENRG CO
SUBJECT: COLOMBIA: ANNUAL ALTERNATIVE FUEL/HYBRID ELECTRIC
VEHICLE SURVEY

REF: SECSTATE 20845


1. The following responses are keyed to information
requested in reftel.


2. Availability of Alternative Fuel/Hybrid Vehicles: While
alternative fuel vehicles are permitted for commercial
import, no car dealers in Colombia currently sell hybrid
vehicles. Post's General Services Office (GSO) imports all
its vehicles - there is no local procurement - and no Post
employee has ever imported an alternative fuel/hybrid POV.


3. Servicing Alternative Fuel/Hybrid Vehicles: GSO uses
only in-house mechanics for Embassy vehicle maintenance.
These mechanics are not skilled in servicing alternative
fuel/hybrid vehicles, nor did any post contacts know of any
dealers with qualified technicians to service hybrids.
Maintenance of alternative fuel vehicles (types listed below)
is available, albeit difficult to find and expensive.


4. Availability of Alternative Fuel/Types: Alternative
fuels -- E10 and B10 fuel blends, as well as natural gas --
are available in Colombia. The transit system is also
presently experimenting with biodiesel up to B100. There are
280,000 vehicles utilizing natural gas in Colombia, of which
96,000 (primarily taxis) are in Bogota. Presently, 47
garages are equipped to service natural gas vehicles.
However, alternative fuels are only available in major
metropolitan areas.


5. Cost of Fuel/Alternative Fuel: Blended E10/B10 fuel
costs the same as regular gasoline or diesel. The average
current cost of regular gasoline and diesel is, respectively,
USD 2.90/gallon (6,980 Colombian pesos) and USD 2.60/gallon
(6,250 Colombian pesos). The cost of natural gas per cubic
meter is USD 0.60, with three cubic meters equaling one
gallon. The cost to convert a medium-sized vehicle to
natural gas is USD 1,700, though GSO estimates it would cost
USD 2,600 to convert an Embassy van.


6. Additional Costs: Use of alternative fuel/hybrid
vehicles would create additional costs. Vehicle maintenance
would represent the primary additional cost, as Post would
have to either provide training to its mechanics or spend a
significant amount of resources hiring an additional mechanic
-- possibly hired from overseas -- able to maintain the
vehicles. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is
in charge of diplomatic vehicle registrations, has told Post
there would be no additional difficulties to import or
register an alternative fuel/hybrid vehicle.


7. Resale Market: Given that alternative fuel and hybrid
vehicles are quite new to Colombia, a resale market is not
yet established in Colombia.
NICHOLS