E85 Purchasing Stations

As you shop for a new vehicle, you can add "type of fuel used" to your checklist of features. It's no longer just a choice between gasoline and diesel, or a combination of gas and electricity. E85, that hybrid fuel that is 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, has been making headlines in the last few years as a fuel that could reduce the United States' dependence on foreign oil. An increasing number of motor vehicles are capable of running on both E85 and gasoline.

E85 Advantages and Benefits

Advantages of E85:

• It's a renewable, biodegradeable resource.

• The fuel burns more completely than gasoline and leaves less waste behind.

• E85 is a high-performance fuel. In fact, it has a higher octane of 100-105, while gasoline only has an octane rating of 87.

• Purchasing E85 helps support American corn farmers and the economy. Sugar beets, potatoes, and sorghum are sometimes used to make E85, too.

On the Other Hand...

• Opponents say the tax subsidies that its E85 producers receive go mostly to large agri-businesses and refineries, instead of small corn-producing farms.

• Producing ethanol uses more energy than is contained in the ethanol, and in an ironic twist, growing, harvesting, and transporting corn to produce ethanol consumes a lot of gasoline.

• E85 doesn't provide as much mileage as gasoline, and right now there are only about 1,600 stations in the U.S. that offer E85.

For a list and descriptions of all model flex fuel vehicles available, for a nominal fee you can purchase a E85 Purchasing Guide from the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition.

For more information on buying and selling motor vehicles, see our section on Buying and Selling. As the owner of a new vehicle, you might also be interested in Basic Car Care.