Prototype light-duty vehicles powered by methanol have been built, but they do not yet meet customer needs. Methanol has problems, though. It's toxic to humans and soluble in groundwater, raising concerns among many. And it, too, would require a significant new infrastructure. Unfortunately, in this effort to steer opinion, Mobil chose to bypass the high road by offering disparaging comments regarding methanol.
Methanol is slightly more toxic than gasoline.
The fatal range of ingestion for gasoline is 4 to 10 ounces, with methanol its 2 to 8 ounces. On the other hand, methanol is not a carcinogenic, reproductive or mutagenic hazard, and is not a threat to a fetus. Gasoline is a blend of hundreds of chemical compounds many of which are known human carcinogens such as benzene and toluene. Methanol is soluble in groundwater, but is also readily biodegraded. Compared to gasoline, methanol is much less persistent in the environment, is significantly less toxic to marine life and is more environmentally benign.