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Ethanol E-10
Every internal combustion (gasoline) engine manufactured in North America since the 1970's can run with up to 10% Ethanol blended in it's fuel. The Ethanol is made mostly from corn but new processes are on-stream to make this fuel from straw and other cellulose products. E-10 or gasohol is a renewable fuel, which reduces emissions, reduces dependence on foreign imports and supports agriculture.
E-85 and Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFV)
E-85 is fuel that is 85% Ethanol and only 15% Gasoline. It is environmentally friendly, premium grade fuel (Octane over 100) at very competitive prices. Such a high percentage of Ethanol requires a specially designed internal combustion engine. Since the mid 1990's many North American automotive manufactures (Daimler-Chrysler, Ford, GM, Isuzu, Mazda, Mercedes, Mercury, Nissan) have produced FFV (Flexible Fuel Vehicles) that can run on gasoline, E-85 Ethanol or a combination of the two fuels automatically. Many drivers of these E-85 compatible vehicles are unaware of their car or truck's capability. If you would like to check if you vehicle is E-85 compatible, look for an Ethanol sticker on your gas cap lid and refer to your owner's manual.
Lack of a sticker means that you must continue your search, click here to answer the question: Can my car or truck use E85? Remember that this is a US website, you should confirm any E-85 compatibility with your vehicle manufacture for Canadian models.
Ordering a new vehicle?
Check with your dealer to make sure that it has the ability to run E-85. In some cases, this is a low or no cost option or available on fleet vehicles only. If your car has the FFV option, it may retain it's value even if you do not use E-85 fuel. Given current fluctuations in gasoline prices, we would strongly recommend this option as a potential fuel hedge.
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