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Frequently Asked Questions:
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Q: Do you have to have a special vehicle to use E85?
A: Yes, but many people already have them and don’t even know it. E85 is intended for use in Flex Fuel Vehicles (FFVs). They are called Flex Fuel because the vehicle is flexible on what type of fuel it can run on. FFVs have specially designed parts and components that enable the vehicle to run on E85, regular gasoline, or any mixture of the two. It's ok to switch back and forth between E85 and gasoline, but most people find they get the best mileage on E85 when they use it consistently. FFVs have been produced since the late 1990’s. Visit the Identify a FFV page to see if your present vehicle is capable of running on E85.
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Q: Does E85 burn cleaner than gasoline?
A: Yes, E85 burns cleaner and more completely due to its higher oxygen content than gasoline. This means its not only better for the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 40%, but it helps keep your engine cleaner reducing the wear and tear on an engine and prolonging its lifespan. Compared to gasoline, ethanol emits less CO2 and other greenhouse gases when burned. The process of growing the plants used to make ethanol such as corn, sorghum, sugarcane, and switch grass actually uses more CO2 than what burning E85 gives off.
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Q: Does E85 help reduce our oil consumption?
A: Yes, E85 is made of 85% renewable ethanol and only 15% petroleum based gasoline. Every time you burn E85 you are helping reduce our country’s dependency on oil, most of which we import from foreign countries.
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Q: If I use E85 is it better for the economy?
A: Yes, E85 is better for you and your country in so many ways! By using E85 you are helping support the agricultural communities that grow the crops and produce the ethanol for E85 and keeping your hard earned dollars in our country and our state, generating revenues and promoting a better economy!
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Q: Does E85 help lower gas prices?
A: Yes, E85’s high content of ethanol not only keeps its price much lower than gasoline, but just by adding the extra supply to our nation's total fuel supply, E85 helps keep the cost of gasoline lower than if it weren’t in the market place.
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Q: Does E85 burn hotter than gasoline?
A: No, E85 has an octane rating of 100-105 depending on the seasonal blend; however octane rating has nothing to do with the temperature at which a fuel burns. A gallon of E85 actually has fewer BTUs (British Thermal Units) than a gallon of gasoline and therefore burns cooler.
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Q: Does E85 affect my fuel mileage?
A: Yes, as stated above, a gallon of E85 has fewer BTUs than a gallon of gasoline. This difference in BTUs means your car's engine needs to use or burn a bit more E85 to go the same distance as it would on one gallon of gasoline.
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Q: Does E85 cost me more to use than gasoline?
A: No, in most cases E85 is priced substantially lower than gasoline and this price difference usually more than makes up for any fuel economy difference you might see when using E85. For example, a vehicle that normally gets 20 MPG on Gasoline will get approximately 17 MPG on E85, which equates to a 15% reduction in fuel economy. E85 is normally priced between 15-20% less than gasoline. So if you only see a 10-15% loss in mileage and you are paying 15-20% less for the fuel, you not only get to feel good about using a domestically produced, renewable product, but you can feel good about saving a few dollars on your fuel bill.
Visit the E85 cost calculator and plug in your numbers to see how E85 stacks up.
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Q: Where can I get E85?
A: All over the country! As more and more FFVs are produced each year, more gas stations are starting to offer E85. There are approximately 1,600 E85 stations in the U.S. and more than 100 of them are here in Missouri with more opening all the time. Check the Stations page to see where the nearest E85 station is to you.
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Q: Where is E85 made?
A: E85 is made right here in the U.S. and most likely the E85 you will put in your FFV is made right here in Missouri. E85 is produced from the crops that are grown in the same soil we live on. E85 truly is American made!
For more facts and info please visit:
http://www.e85fuel.com/e85101/questions.php
http://www.eere.energy.gov/biomass/ethanol_myths_facts.html
http://www.ethanol.org/index.php?id=50&parentid=8
http://www.e85fuel.com/e85101/flexfuelvehicles.php
For additional questions, click here to email us
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