Drivers jumping on the late gas - saving bandwagon may be in for a blow when they see fuel - saving estimates for the newfangled darlings of Detroit : E85 ethanol flex - fuel vehicles . Run a new V6 Chevrolet Impala on skillful - old gasoline , and it ’ll get 21 miles per gallon in the city , 31 on the main road , according to Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) estimates . Burn E85 – a blend of 85 per centum of the alcohol - base fuel ethanol and 15 per centum petrol , which American automakers flaunt as their latest alternate - energy melodic theme – and the Impala ’s EPA numbers game shrivel to 16 mpg metropolis , 23 highway .
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It ’s no better with other kinds of flex - fuel fomite , vehicles that can run on E85 , 100 percent gasolene , or a combination of the two . Run a two wheel - drive V8 Ford F150 on regular unleaded gas , and the EPA says it ’ll get 14 mpg city , 19 mpg highway . Run it on E85 ethyl alcohol , and it gets 11 mpg city , 14 mpg main road . In other words , fill up on environmentally well-disposed E85 fermentation alcohol , and you ’ll get fewer miles per gallon than you would on gasoline .
fathom depressing ? Not if you believe that what ’s bad for the E85 fermentation alcohol user is good for America ’s fuel strategy . After all , a mile driven on E85 ethanol fuel is a land mile not drive on conventional gasoline . And that , according to President Bush and proponent of E85 ethyl alcohol , can help oneself America stop its dependence on foreign oil .
Joining these E85 ethanol boosters are General Motors and Ford , which have mounted monolithic new E85 ethanol livelihood programs . spur by public and secret efforts to pump up E85 fermentation alcohol need , ethanol producers themselves are swarm billion of dollar sign into establish newfangled refineries .
As with any alternative - fuel thought , however , the E85 fermentation alcohol story is one of tradeoffs . It pits , for example , E85 ethanol ’s ability to lower atmosphere pollution because it burns unobjectionable than gasoline against the potential environmental costs regard in ethanol product .
We ’ve highlighted some tradeoffs in E85 ethanol fuel economy ( more about that subsequently ) , but are there compromise in gadget and fomite carrying into action ? These and other issues are thoroughly research in the following sections :
E85 Ethanol Flex Fuel Explained
grain alcohol is analcohol - establish fuel made by turn and distilling starch crops , corn mostly . Only a relative smattering of renewable vigour company produce it , but nigh all the ethanol they generate come from renewable crops develop on American farms . One Accho of corn can be processed into about 330 gallons of combustible ethyl alcohol .
exponent reason that mixing 85 parts ethanol with 15 partsgasolineto make E85 ethanol fuel helps stretch the earth’ssupply of oil , which is finite . supporter , such as the Renewable Fuels Association , say E85 ethanol fuel expands the market place for U.S. crops and creates jobs in farming andrefining . By reducing crude oil imports , backers argue , ethyl alcohol eases the Carry Nation ’s craft instability and cuts down on the tax dollars and military resourcefulness want to keep extraneous rock oil flowing .
As for environmental benefit , the U.S. Department of Energy says vehicles fuel with E85 ethanol have lower carbon copy monoxide and carbon dioxide emissions than established petrol ordieselvehicles . Ethanol is pee soluble , non - toxic , and biodegradable . E85 grain alcohol contains far few potential contaminants than found in gas .
But for about every benefit attribute to E85 ethanol , a knocker is ready with a counterpoint . For deterrent example , grain alcohol production requires burning non - renewable fogey fuel to plant , arise , and harvest the crops and operate refinery . A Cornell University agrarian expert say that , think the energy costs of growing corn and converting it to ethanol , it guide far more energy to bring out ethanol than it give . ( A University of California study , by contrast , insists modern farm efficiency means ethanol generates more vigour than it requires to produce . ) Critics say ethanol output amuse corn that could be used to feed animals and multitude , thus shrivel the supply of corn and raise the price offood .
As for environmental concerns , many young ethanol refinery are seeking way to cut costs by usingcoalas an vitality source . Most now race on natural gas . ember cost less , but foul more . And the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tell that putting more E85 ethanol flex - fuel vehicles on the route will result in more airborne chemicals that create smog , threatening an increase in respiratory ailments .
Detractors also point to burdens on taxpayers . The Union government , along with some agricultural states , has for decades subsidized ethanol production under the banner of farm support . Critics say the main beneficiary of the billions of dollar in revenue enhancement exemption and incentives are giant agribusinesses and corporate refiner . In 2003 , Illinois became the first state to remove the sales taxation on E85 ethyl alcohol fuel . And the Union government bring home the bacon up to $ 30,000 in tax credits to flatulency station that commute heart to E85 fermentation alcohol fuel .
On the heels of an vigour invoice bless into police force in 2005 that require refiners to produce more ethanol over the next decade , President Bush has wassail federal dollars to fund additional research into novel methods of ethanol output . At the same clip , Union regulators anxious to facilitate administrative burdens on ethanol production have proposed relaxed limit on the amount of air pollution these refineries would be allow to generate .
This groundswell of support has helped ignite a boom in the number of corn whiskey - to - fuel refineries . Some 40 new ethanol - production facilities are expected to come on line of merchandise by mid-2007 . That would bring the national number to somewhat over 100 , up from just 50 in 1996 .
Surprisingly , all this action is directed at what , for now , is a relatively small figure of fomite . Of the roughly 250 million cars , trucks , S.U.V. , and minivans on America ’s roads , only about six million are subject of burn E85 fermentation alcohol . About one-half of these E85 ethanol flex - fuel vehicles are in commercial or government fleets .
The majority of private E85 vehicle come from Ford and General Motors , but certain Chrysler , Dodge , Jeep , Mercedes - Benz and Nissan model also are E85 fermentation alcohol - compatible . These vehicles have particular components installed on the factory assembly line that supervise and compensate for the ethanol / gasolene mix . Their fuel systems are also fort against the erosive effects of E85 fermentation alcohol .
E85 Throughout the Years
Henry Ford built an grain alcohol - burn Model T before World War I , and over the twelvemonth , thousands of fleet vehicle were modified to run on fermentation alcohol - based blends . U.S. car manufacturer set about making E85 ethanol - compatible component standard on sure models in 1998 .
Over the past year , Ford , GM , and DaimlerChrysler have capture the E85 ethanol mantle as a fuel - economize technology and a room to tolerate the surroundings and encourage domestic factory farm . These manufacturers say they plan to put a combined total of 2 million additional E85 ethanol flex - fuel vehicles on the route each year starting in 2007 .
They have lobby Congress for support of E85 ethanol , and GM and Ford help investment trust campaigns to promote E85 ethanol usance and convert gas stations to persuade the fuel . GM is even offer owners of its E85 fermentation alcohol flex - fuel vehicles who live in Chicago and Minneapolis a $ 1,000 natural gas menu for E85 ethyl alcohol purchases .
For 2007 , 29 unlike poser for cut-rate sale in the U.S. are E85 ethyl alcohol flex - fuel capable . That ’s up from 20 for the 2006 model twelvemonth . For 2007 , GM will declare oneself 17 E85 ethanol flex - fuel models totaling about 400,000 vehicle , compared to nine models in 2006 . Ford expect to betray 250,000 E85 ethanol flex - fuel modelling in 2006 .
Still , you ’ll need to look closely to identify one of these E85 ethanol flex - fuel vehicle . Some early E85 ethanol flex - fuel Fords carry a small route - and - foliage logo and decal reading material " FFV , " for Flexible Fuel Vehicle . GM key its E85 fermentation alcohol flex - fuel vehicles with jaundiced gas caps and " Flex Fuel E85 " badge .
The best ways to find whether you have an E85 ethanol flex fuel fomite is to consult your proprietor ’s manual or check for an identifying sticker inside the fuel door . A listing of E85 ethanol flex fuel - compatible vehicles is also available from several vane sites , includingfueleconomy.govande85fuel.com
On the next pageboy , we ’ll go into more detail about how E85 affects the everyday number one wood and where this fuel can be found .
How Does E85 Ethanol Affect You?
If you choose to buy an E85 ethyl alcohol flex - fuel vehicle , or chance upon you already have one , you ’ll be proud of to get a line it wo n’t necessitate any drastic changes in your drive habit . If you insist on using E85 ethanol fuel most or all of the metre , however , and you will be compel to make some compromise .
As the terminus " flexible fuel " mean , any E85 ethyl alcohol flex - fuel vehicle can run on 100 percent E85 , 100 percentage pump gasoline of anyoctane , or any combining of E85 ethanol and gasoline . The car ’s on - board symptomatic systems compensate for any of these portmanteau word to keep it run according to maker ’s specification .
Automakers spend an estimated $ 150 to make a fomite E85 - ethanol capable , but none charges customer more for an E85 ethanol flex - fuel vehicle compared to a petrol - only counterpart . Neither do they varyhorsepowerratings for E85 ethanol flex - fuel engines . E85 ethyl alcohol has an octane rating of 100 - 105 , versus 85 - 95 for gas , but manufacturers do not tune E85 ethanol - up to locomotive for high performance than their gas - only counterparts . This allows them to run efficiently on conventional petrol .
On the road , substantial - world carrying out is indistinguishable . Consumer Guide ’s self-propelled editor route test an E85 ethyl alcohol flex - fuel Impala on both 87 octane gas and E85 ethanol , and could not detect a conflict inengineperformance , smoothness , or sound .
Some E85 ethanol proponents say the blend keeps fuel systems cleaner than gasoline , for potentially low longsighted - term upkeep toll . Ford and GM have no special maintenance requirements for their E85 ethanol flex - fuel vehicles , but other manufacturers may require economic consumption of specific engine lubricant . arrest your owner ’s manual of arms or confab your dealer . Motorists fueling up with E85 ethanol should share that entropy with their dealer service section or region supplier when ordain replacement theatrical role .
Where To Find E85
Once you adjudicate you desire to jump on the E85 grain alcohol bandwagon , you may have trouble in reality climbing on base . Efforts by car manufacturer and the government to increase the number of gas stations that carry E85 ethanol have lift their ranks by some 100 station over the past year . however , only about 800 of the nation ’s 180,000 gas post carry E85 ethyl alcohol fuel . Another 200 or so E85 ethanol refueling stations are fleet or authorities sites not open to the public . Most locations are in Midwest maize bash commonwealth , where E85 ethanol production and sale have for years profit from government supports .
As of November 2006 , according to the U.S. Department of Energy , Minnesota extend the land with 300 E85 ethanol fuel sites , followed by Illinois with 132 , Missouri with 63 , Iowa with 56 , and South Dakota with 50 . Most states had fewer than a dozen . Alaska , Delaware , Hawaii , Maine , New Hampshire , New Jersey , Rhode Island , and Vermont had none . Go to E85refueling.com for a leaning of stations that expect E85 .
Once you displume up to an E85 ethyl alcohol pump , you are n’t likely to find the price per congius of E85 importantly different from that of 87 - octane unconstipated grade gas . While some Midwest service post price E85 ethanol as much as 30 cent per gallon below regular - ground level gas , the EPA in November 2006 list the intermediate price for a gallon of E85 fermentation alcohol nationwide at $ 2.41 , compare to $ 2.23 per congius for veritable - grade gasoline .
supplying , demand , and distribution costs reckon among reason E85 grain alcohol can be more expensive than schematic gasoline at the ticker . Government and auto industry efforts to promote the fuel have increased requirement for E85 ethyl alcohol , helping make a supply crush at refinery . In addition , sweeping fermentation alcohol price are increasing as oil companionship stock up on the alcoholic drink as a substitute for petroleum additive suspected of stimulate cancer . And E85 ethanol costs more to distribute than gas . The portmanteau ca n’t be pumped through petroleum word of mouth because of the corrosive impact of its alcohol content , for example .
In the final analysis , of course , E85 producers and retailers are free to charge what they can to fulfill demand and make a lucre . So you ’ve retrieve a station with E85 ethanol , decide the cost was good , and you ’ve filled the storage tank of your flex - fuel car or hand truck . How far will it take you ?
Not as far as a tank of petrol would . As the instance of the Impala and F 150 show , your fuel economy using E85 ethanol is low-spirited than with gasoline . These are not isolated examples . Overall , depending on the vehicle , fuel economic system with E85 ethanol is some 20 to 30 percentage less than with gasoline . Consumer Guide ’s test Impala , for example , average out 24.2 mpg on gasoline , but just 16.9 mpg in alike city / main road driving using E85 ethanol .
depend at another style , a cooler of E85 ethanol will take you only about 80 percent as far as you could drive on a tank car of gasolene . On E85 fermentation alcohol , you ’ll stop more to refuel , have to plan ahead to ensure the station carries E85 ethanol , and perhaps pay more per gallon once you get there .
The difference in miles per gallon between gasoline and E85 ethyl alcohol has to do with E85 ethyl alcohol ’s lower free energy content per unit of book . Measured in British Thermal Units ( BTUs ) , a gallon of E85 fermentation alcohol has only 72 percent of the vigor in a congius of gasoline . Go tofueleconomy.govto compare EPA fuel - economy estimates for the same flex - fuel fomite running on E85 ethanol and on gas .
So we ’ve seen that choosing an E85 ethyl alcohol flex fuel fomite and running it on E85 grain alcohol may not be to your personal reward in terms of convenience and fuel cost . But it wo n’t affect fomite carrying out . And once you weigh arguments on both sides of this the complex issue , you may decide that buying a flex - fuel vehicle and running it on E85 ethanol is a personal motion of livelihood for American agriculture , alternative fuels , and energy independence .
