U.S. automakers said on Wednesday that they will by 2010 double the production of flexible- fuel vehicles which are capable of running on ethanol blends and other biofuel.

Introducing their plans in a letter to U.S. lawmakers in the Congress, the leaders of General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group urged oil companies and the Congress to promote the production of ethanol and biofuel and increase the number of service stations offering the fuels.

"Our hope is that with this commitment, fuel providers will have even more incentive to produce ethanol and other biofuels and install pumps to distribute them," the letter said.

The letter was signed by Rick Wagoner, GM's chairman and chief executive, Bill Ford, Ford's chairman and chief executive and Tom LaSorda, Chrysler Group's president and chief executive.

The Big Three U.S. automakers have produced 5 million flexible fuel vehicles, which can run on gasoline and fuel blends of up to 85 percent ethanol, known as E85. They are expected to produce an additional 1 million of the vehicles this year. Their commitment would lead to 2 million annually by 2010.

Source: Xinhua