Thoughts about E85 eventually going away?

[gimmie11s]

I think in certain states it made sense like in California. Other midwest, very cold states not so much. In California E85 is a real E85 and its literally half the cost of 91 octane here in California as we are approaching darn near $6.49 and I can get E85 at $3.19 per gallon. E85 isn't taxed like regular gasoline here in California. Thats why it has to be a true E85, if the ethanol content drops below E85 it gets taxed like regular gasoline. For me I use it to bump up my octane a few points. I run 2 gallons of E85, 1.5 gallons of 101 VP racing to California 91 and that gets me to 94 octane.

Similar where im at in the Inland Empire, although e85 is about 3.60/gal out here.

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[gone_n_60]

E85 is quite a bit more than 60 cents cheaper than premium gas while also being 106 octane instead of 93 octane and keeping your motor cooler.

for track I can see it. My flex fuel truck it never looked like a good option.

 

[LSchicago]

Will you mix the 260 with 91 pump or run it straight?

Jeez. All this talk about e85 in the US.

Switchgrass eh... How about my own lawn clippings... teach me to home-brew some e85!

Mix 85% pure ethanol with 15% gas. Done.

 

[Torinate]

If premium goes over 2.10/L then straight.

lol. Well, I’m sure 94 at Petro Canada is more than that today! Ontario... see my Gas Buddy pic. That’s for 91. Shell is at 2.15!!! PetroCan 94 is usually 15 cents more per liter. Haven’t purchased lately as car is still cooped up. But looks like it’ll be 2.25 or so... how much are you paying for 260GT?

jeez. Just realized that’s an 8$ gallon of gas!

Mix 85% pure ethanol with 15% gas. Done.

Yea, it’s the part where I make ethanol from grass that i’d like to know...

 

[Firsttexan]

I see more E85 pumps in the Chicago area, not less.

Grain belt.

 

[PaddyPrix]

$3.39/gal vs $6.19/gal here in Southern California, and more of them are popping up -- Wondering where my "durrr, it uses 30% more" crowd is now?

 

[Brian_S550]

Grain belt.

It’s because the top producer of ethanol in the country is Archer Daniels Midland corp. which operates out of Chicago and Decatur IL.

Those of you who want E85 fuel to be available depend on Illinois’ corn crop to be able to get it.

 

[AMC401V8]

It’s because the top producer of ethanol in the country is Archer Daniels Midland corp. which operates out of Chicago and Decatur IL.

Those of you who want E85 fuel to be available depend on Illinois’ corn crop to be able to get it.

Given the yields that the soil produces in and around Decatur I'd venture a guess that E85 will be available for some time in that area of the country.

 

[gone_n_60]

After some reading about why you want E85 higher octane in your Pony (speed, performance, cleaner burning) I can see why if your tracking your Mustang why you'd want to run it. But it also seems you need a non-Ford approved tune to be effective. I'm going to track my GT but it's a road car too and I have a good Ford warranty. I can see a time when I'd rather run E85 at the track when my warranty is over. fwiw in Indiana there are tons of stations selling E85.

 

[Schwerin]

e85 never even came to my area. Pisses me off. I've been holding off on a tune till its available, but that's seeming more and more to never be a things.

 

[ZeroTX]

I noticed yesterday they wanted 9 cents more per gallon for E85 over regular 87 unleaded. Why would you pay more for less efficiency?

 

[gone_n_60]

Here locally E85 is way less that gas, Midwest I guess.

 

[Firsttexan]

 

[LSchicago]

I noticed yesterday they wanted 9 cents more per gallon for E85 over regular 87 unleaded. Why would you pay more for less efficiency?

Octane. Purely for octane.

 

[ZeroTX]

Octane. Purely for octane.

I understand that on a performance car appropriately tuned. But I'd say that's less than 5%, maybe less than 1% of people buying E85. They were buying it because they're bad at math and thought they saved on fuel because of the lower per-gallon price. If it's 9 cents *more* than regular, they won't buy it at all.

And to the original post, I'd say, if the price continues down that road, that the number of pumps with E85 will only decline, unfortunately. There's really no good reason for it to be more expensive. Brazil makes their ethanol from leftover stems and basically garbage parts of sugar cane, with zero impact on food supplies. Basically free base material to create fuel. Their vehicles will run on up to 100% ethanol, not just 85%. But if the price stays higher than gasoline, expect E85 to go away fairly quickly I'm sorry to say. Then for the high-boost guys, it's back to using octane booster.

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