Tequila mooted as eco-friendly biofuel for cars, salt and lemon optional

We've always been told driving and alcohol don't mix, but there's now a distinct possibility we could all be driving around tanked up on tequila, according to the usually very sober Guardian.

Researchers at the University of Oxford have suggested that agave, the hardy plant from which the bitter liquor is distilled, is an ideal source from which to create the petrol substitute ethanol, as it has a far lower environmental and social impact than conventional ethanol-making crops.

This comes as no surprise to Crave. We've been aware of tequila's benefits for years, but writing a white paper on the subject the morning after an extensive bout of experimentation has usually taken a back seat to figuring out why our brains feel as if they've been used as a fat person's trampoline. 

Thankfully, scientists have stayed sober long enough to do the research we couldn't. They've found that, like many biofuel crops, agave-derived ethanol is potentially very eco-friendly, as any CO2 emissions created by cars burning fuel made in this manner are offset by the plant absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere before it was harvested.

Crucially, unlike corn, sugar cane and other crops used for biofuel production, agave isn't consumed by humans and can be grown in marginal or desert land. This means there's a far lower risk of food prices increasing, wildlife being lost and workers being exploited. Sure, harvesting ethanol in this manner might increase the price of tequila and possibly annoy a few scorpions, but it's a price that just might be worth paying for carbon-neutral motoring. 

Agave biofuel trials are currently taking place in Australia and some experts, according to Science Daily, are already plotting to reclaim abandoned agave plantations in Mexico and Africa, where agave was used to produce a type of fibre used in rope and dartboard creation.

It all sounds brilliant to us. Just imagine a future where motorists can drive to the local bar, stick a giant straw in the fuel tank, down the lot and never run the risk of drink driving home because their tanks would be empty. That's the kind of world we want to live in. Tequila, you make us happy.

Feel free to share your appreciation for this wonderfully versatile drink in the comments section below.