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Even with High Gas Prices, E85 makes little sense

Detroit News --
With gasoline prices hovering near record highs, many of the millions of motorists who drive so-called "flex fuel" vehicles are wondering when it makes sense to switch to ethanol.

The answer is probably never.

While the price of ethanol, or E85, is lower than the price of regular unleaded — the average price in Michigan at the end of last week was $3.45 per gallon for E85 vs. $3.82 for regular gas — it provides less energy and, therefore, worse mileage than gas.

"Typically, it's hard to make an economic case for using E85," acknowledged Coleman Jones, head of alternative fuels for General Motors Co.

At least in the United States.

In Brazil, where most cars and trucks are capable of running on either gasoline or ethanol, it is often cheaper to fuel up with the latter.

Th

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Submitted Oct 08, 2012 By: AmericanMAN

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slicerette Champion Author South Bend Posts:3,537 Points:542,990 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Oct 10, 2012 2:12:22 PM Ignore slicerette Report Abuse Price of Ethanol is 20% Higher - 2012 Drought has driven the wholesale price of Ethanol from $2.00 a gallon on June 1 to $2.40 a gallon today, Oct. 10, 2012. That's added to our cost of E10 regular gasoline across the nation. NOW, the EPA is mandating we use more Ethanol in 2013, but we are buying less gasoline. Look Out - EPA is pushing E15 to get us to use more ethanol. Pres. Obama has mandated U.S. gov't flexfuel cars to use E85. [Edited by: slicerette at 10/10/2012 3:14:13 PM EST]
flagtown25 Champion Author New Jersey Posts:1,177 Points:494,655 Joined:Oct 2011	Message Posted: Oct 9, 2012 11:09:04 PM Ignore flagtown25 Report Abuse It never did.
ktyson13 Champion Author Maryland Posts:1,546 Points:399,350 Joined:Aug 2010	Message Posted: Oct 9, 2012 1:07:05 PM Ignore ktyson13 Report Abuse Ethanol never made sense. This was a buyoff to the farm industry by Congress
remay Champion Author Houston Posts:6,978 Points:2,119,565 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Oct 9, 2012 8:06:35 AM Ignore remay Report Abuse "In many parts of the U.S., consumers have no way of knowing which blend they are getting" That is NOT comforting information!
dieselfiendSC Champion Author South Carolina Posts:2,196 Points:849,380 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Oct 9, 2012 7:16:05 AM Ignore dieselfiendSC Report Abuse Old news
mrpc90 Champion Author Illinois Posts:8,157 Points:1,929,440 Joined:Dec 2004	Message Posted: Oct 9, 2012 7:07:14 AM Ignore mrpc90 Report Abuse Yesterday's news
wally52 Champion Author Little Rock Posts:27,490 Points:817,435 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Oct 9, 2012 12:38:31 AM Ignore wally52 Report Abuse It makes no sense, so quit producing it.
kgbellman Champion Author Ann Arbor Posts:2,728 Points:734,765 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Oct 9, 2012 12:02:58 AM Ignore kgbellman Report Abuse Agreed - cheaper price, but lower MPG
nurdco Champion Author Colorado Springs Posts:9,250 Points:1,697,335 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:55:21 PM Ignore nurdco Report Abuse Rises quickly despite its LOW Gasoline mixture
Zonk Champion Author Michigan Posts:6,496 Points:2,104,940 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:54:54 PM Ignore Zonk Report Abuse Whether or not it comes from sugar cane or corn is not important. Let's just ban ethanol as a fuel for automobiles.
granitestater Champion Author New Hampshire Posts:8,836 Points:1,432,700 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:54:12 PM Ignore granitestater Report Abuse Ethanol of any percentage makes no sense...
jackson661 Champion Author Columbus Posts:3,774 Points:1,479,660 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:53:28 PM Ignore jackson661 Report Abuse we shall see.
bobdec Champion Author Miami Posts:8,979 Points:1,772,745 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:51:31 PM Ignore bobdec Report Abuse do away with all ethanol
dhdiesel Veteran Author Riverside Posts:400 Points:44,800 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:49:31 PM Ignore dhdiesel Report Abuse Is it true the production of ethanol causes more pollution than burning it for fuel?
BobD2009 Champion Author Long Island Posts:7,004 Points:1,242,710 Joined:Apr 2009	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:49:05 PM Ignore BobD2009 Report Abuse Abolish ethanol.
SaturnSC Champion Author Columbus Posts:1,051 Points:835,225 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:47:53 PM Ignore SaturnSC Report Abuse Agreed
gaspricemachine Veteran Author Tampa Posts:276 Points:1,195,730 Joined:Aug 2009	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:47:25 PM Ignore gaspricemachine Report Abuse More money on repairs..
langolera Champion Author Akron Posts:1,776 Points:668,905 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:43:22 PM Ignore langolera Report Abuse bad for cars
shores4now Champion Author Kentucky Posts:2,421 Points:526,725 Joined:Jul 2009	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:42:50 PM Ignore shores4now Report Abuse ok
slkmoo Champion Author Ontario Posts:1,268 Points:331,650 Joined:Apr 2012	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:42:00 PM Ignore slkmoo Report Abuse won't cut it here
NavyEOD Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:10,016 Points:2,023,100 Joined:Jul 2007	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:39:51 PM Ignore NavyEOD Report Abuse No corn for me...
SparkieMi Champion Author Kalamazoo Posts:3,277 Points:591,330 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:39:49 PM Ignore SparkieMi Report Abuse Good post by rodzilla123!!!!!
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,810 Points:416,340 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:35:57 PM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse Leave the environmentalists out of this fight, @rodzilla123. They NEVER backed ethanol. That was 100% the corn lobby, backed by Archer Daniels Midland and Monsanto.
1fulltank Champion Author Buffalo Posts:7,918 Points:1,547,235 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:34:20 PM Ignore 1fulltank Report Abuse Even with the general public opposed to it, it is still being mandated.
vulcan96 Champion Author Ohio Posts:26,940 Points:3,106,600 Joined:Aug 2004	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:33:30 PM Ignore vulcan96 Report Abuse no to ethanol - not now, not ever......stop the bribes !
CarefreeVT Champion Author Burlington Posts:1,812 Points:260,530 Joined:Aug 2012	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:31:40 PM Ignore CarefreeVT Report Abuse T@c0$
J4romeo All-Star Author Gary Posts:506 Points:1,214,925 Joined:Jan 2006	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:30:48 PM Ignore J4romeo Report Abuse very true!!
rodzilla123 Champion Author San Diego Posts:4,415 Points:1,037,290 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:29:32 PM Ignore rodzilla123 Report Abuse E85 is another Evil plan of the Environmentalist in Cahoots with the Politicians and the Corn Farmers to Screw the Consumers of America and all the good Taxpaying Americans. TIme to stop the Insanity Give the BOOT to all these Degenerates!!!
Rooster922 Champion Author Wilmington Posts:3,803 Points:658,995 Joined:Jan 2009	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:28:34 PM Ignore Rooster922 Report Abuse Wow!
scu227 Champion Author New Haven Posts:4,167 Points:774,805 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:28:02 PM Ignore scu227 Report Abuse even without high gas prices E85 makes no sense, corn should be used for food not fuel.
gaswatchON Veteran Author Ontario Posts:463 Points:118,405 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:26:16 PM Ignore gaswatchON Report Abuse ethanol is not good for the internal combustion engine as it is made right now
silverfox63 Champion Author Michigan Posts:8,130 Points:1,613,665 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:26:13 PM Ignore silverfox63 Report Abuse It is time to be rid of E85.
vibdata Champion Author Massachusetts Posts:4,090 Points:849,300 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:25:51 PM Ignore vibdata Report Abuse Gas is Gas. Alcohol is Alcohol. Never mix the two.
10k Champion Author North Carolina Posts:21,275 Points:2,256,945 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:25:35 PM Ignore 10k Report Abuse no ethanol whatsoever makes sense.. unless your sole purpose is to ruin the economy..
rawdog1313 Champion Author Lexington Posts:3,319 Points:1,645,830 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:25:21 PM Ignore rawdog1313 Report Abuse Get rid of ethanol!
crreed1 Champion Author West Virginia Posts:2,000 Points:2,529,260 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:24:42 PM Ignore crreed1 Report Abuse just say no
bbigred Veteran Author Lansing Posts:427 Points:297,950 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:24:35 PM Ignore bbigred Report Abuse E85 could be cheaper but is not allowed
arb0526 Champion Author Greensboro Posts:1,991 Points:413,545 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:24:28 PM Ignore arb0526 Report Abuse Well...if this is all that is offered we would be forced to use despite its negative issues
LanguageMan1 Champion Author Tampa Posts:11,738 Points:1,664,715 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:23:55 PM Ignore LanguageMan1 Report Abuse Ethanol from any kind of food or vegetable source doesn't make sense. Now from other sources where more would be produced at a lower cost, then yes, it does. They won't do that though.
cloud23465 Champion Author Virginia Beach Posts:8,319 Points:1,619,975 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:23:51 PM Ignore cloud23465 Report Abuse renewable... also needs to be RELIABLE! if something goes wrong with a crop and that will drive prices up... that's NOT reliable.
us4usa Champion Author Missouri Posts:6,003 Points:1,115,215 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:23:30 PM Ignore us4usa Report Abuse Corn water, less MPG and higher food cost...
DrCashFlow Champion Author Massachusetts Posts:7,079 Points:1,630,050 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:22:19 PM Ignore DrCashFlow Report Abuse no, repeat no, sense
Matt G Champion Author Boston Posts:4,548 Points:2,775,965 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:21:46 PM Ignore Matt G Report Abuse Ok
bluetatanka Champion Author Philadelphia Posts:56,240 Points:783,780 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:20:41 PM Ignore bluetatanka Report Abuse No to E85!
Petrock Champion Author Lexington Posts:9,138 Points:2,560,685 Joined:Apr 2005	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:20:37 PM Ignore Petrock Report Abuse The corn/ethanol group will make sure that E-85 is never cheaper than gasoline. ... and this with government subsidies!
HYEgasCA Champion Author Fresno Posts:2,111 Points:912,500 Joined:Dec 2008	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:20:31 PM Ignore HYEgasCA Report Abuse No more ethanol.
bvrbill Champion Author Eugene Posts:3,238 Points:520,800 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:19:06 PM Ignore bvrbill Report Abuse No more ethanol.
jkpsr Champion Author New Jersey Posts:4,094 Points:1,104,830 Joined:Jun 2005	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:18:57 PM Ignore jkpsr Report Abuse E85 destroys engines.
jtfftj Champion Author New Hampshire Posts:2,182 Points:1,250,925 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:17:02 PM Ignore jtfftj Report Abuse Only made sense to those folks making money on the deal.
dwh724 Champion Author Pittsburgh Posts:1,546 Points:637,100 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:16:33 PM Ignore dwh724 Report Abuse Okay