The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved a boost in levels of corn-based ethanol in gasoline for vehicles built in the last decade, a move the automobile industry and food producers fear will raise costs.
The agency on Friday approved gasoline containing up to 15 percent ethanol, known as E15, for use in vehicles built from 2001 to 2006, up from 10 percent now.
The EPA already in October approved a similar increase in ethanol for cars and trucks built in 2007 and later.
“Recently completed testing and data analysis show that E15 does not harm emissions control equipment in newer cars and light trucks,” said EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson.
“Wherever sound science and the law support steps to allow more home-grown fuels in America’s vehicles, this administration takes those steps.”
The EPA’s decision now allows E15 gasoline in more than half the cars and trucks on U.S. roads.
However, service station owners are worried that putting higher ethanol blends in older cars could lead to lawsuits if the fuel damages their engines.
The industry will also have to pay for for new blender pumps and storage tanks to sell E15, which could stall adoption of the fuel.
Livestock feeders and food makers also fear that E15 gasoline will push up corn prices because of increased demand from ethanol makers for the grain. Most U.S ethanol is made from corn.
I’m not totally sure if this hurts us or benefit us but what the EPA is trying to do is raise ethanol levels so it can somewhat compensate for higher fuel prices…they did that with E10 and nothing changed, gas prices kept climbing up
This will actually hurt your wallet even more if you think about it. Ethanol doesn’t burn as well as gasoline so by increasing it’s concentration by volume you will have to burn more fuel to get the same energy. So unless they drop the price at the same time it’s actually going to be more money out of your pocket every month. Also ethanol attracts moisture and will damage fuel systems in older vehicles when the concentration increases. The newer cars use a different kind of rubber/plastic lines the older stuff will brake down over time. Either way if they only approve it for 01 and up vehicle gas stations still have to sell the regular E10.
Sooo let me get this straight. CAFE standards are requiring ALL new vehicles to get better and better MPG, but they’re also making it so the fuel we use forces the cars to get lower MPGs.
It sucks even worst for bikes, especially the carb’d ones. Looks like stuff like Startron is going to be more of a requirement if all the pumps switched to E15…
So true. I remember when they went to E10 my car at the time lost 2 mpg.
I really dont understand the point of the CAFE bullshit because if the government is making a killing on gas taxes wouldnt they want us to drive something that gets about 3 mpg like a V10 1 ton truck?
In Pittsfield, MA gas is 20 cents less than the last station in NY.
Which is why they’re in charge of gas mileage restrictions and such like that? When people think CAFE standards, they think gas mileage, not emissions.