8 Reasons To Fill Up With E85 Flex Fuel
E85 flex fuel is a new and improved version of fossil fuel. It’s a sustainable American-made fuel. It’s made domestically from corn biomass, plant materials, and other renewable sources. Switching to E85 fuel is an excellent decision for many different reasons:
1. E85 Is Great For The Environment
E85 is much more environmentally friendly than regular gasoline. It’s the biggest reason drivers switch to flex fuel. It's more environmentally friendly for two different reasons:
- Lower carbon footprint
- Less emissions
E85 is produced in the US, so the supply chain is pretty short. Researchers at the US Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory did a study a couple of years ago. This study confirmed that manufacturing corn ethanol produced much less greenhouse gases than the same amount of gasoline. The carbon intensity of corn production is decreasing all the time as cultivation methods improve and the latest studies point out that the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of corn ethanol are 46% lower than in gasoline E85 runs cleaner than regular gasoline. It's because E85 contains a much higher level of ethanol than gasoline. Most gasoline blends sold in the US contain about 10% ethanol. E85 contains up to 85% ethanol. That's a big difference.
When you run E85, you'll reduce a noticeable amount of toxins in the air. A big reason for this is because E85 doesn't contain aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Manufacturers add aromatics to gasoline to increase its octane rating. Aromatics are toxic compounds that pollute the air. E85 already has a high amount of octane, so aromatics don't need to be added to it. Factor in the fact that ethanol burns much cleaner than gasoline, and you've got a much more environmentally friendly type of fuel.
2. E85 Costs Less Than Regular Gasoline
You may have noticed that E85 costs less than regular gasoline at the gas pump. It also costs less money in the long run. It's true that E85 may lower your MPG (but not always). Yet, even if you see a 25% reduction in your vehicle's MPG, you'll still save money with E85. This post has more information about how E85 may or may not reduce your vehicle's mileage (more in this article). Another major way E85 saves you money is the fact that it burns a lot cleaner than regular gasoline. It even cleans the engine, fuel lines, and exhaust system. By doing that, E85 helps keep your engine in good health. This reduces your total repair and maintenance costs down the road.
3. E85 Makes More Power
Did you know that E85 can give your engine up to 100 more hp (if your engine is tuned right)? This post has four reasons why this is possible. To sum it up:
- E85 provides the highest octane available at the pump. Higher octane fuels combust more completely. Also, E85 creates less denotation and knocking. It also can run more spark advance. All of these maximize the engine’s power.
- E85 burns cooler than gasoline. This means less heat build-up in the engine. When enough heat builds up, the engine loses power.
- E85 burns cleaner. It also cleans the engine. This means less risk of carbon fouling and carbon deposits. When an engine gets carbon fouling and carbon deposits, it loses power.
4. E85 Cools Your Engine Better Than Regular Gasoline
Ethanol burns cooler than regular gasoline. It requires lower combustion temperatures. Also, it creates a thermodynamic cooling effect that regular gasoline doesn’t offer. This is quite beneficial because E85 helps keep the engine cool. This helps keep the engine healthy.
5. E85 Is A Great Cleaning Agent
Did you know that E85 is an excellent cleaner for engines? Regular gasoline leaves carbon deposits all over the fuel system and engine, most commonly:
- Fuel injectors
- Combustion chambers
- Valve stems
- Pistons
- Piston rings
The ethanol in E85 clears carbon deposits from these areas. E85 is such an effective cleaner that some people run one or two tanks worth of E85 through their engine instead of using an engine cleaner. If you regularly use E85, your engine, fuel system, and exhaust system will be in much better shape than if you had used regular gasoline.
6. E85 Creates Jobs In The US
Did you know that ethanol is made right here in the US? As of 2021, 27 different states produce ethanol. It's because corn is the primary raw material in ethanol, and we have plenty of that here. It's clear that ethanol is a valuable asset in the US. In 2019, there were over 68,000 jobs in the ethanol industry. That creates a positive economic impact. In fact, the ethanol industry contributes $43 billion to America's GDP. So if you switch to E85, you're helping create jobs within the US.
7. E85 Helps Provide The US With Energy Independence
The US has moved a long way towards energy independence with fossil fuels in the last decade. But, we are still impacted by the global fuel supply and cost crises. Fossil fuel supply and prices are not in our control. We don't have to worry about that with E85. We control the production of E85, so we're not at the mercy of other countries that more or less control the supply of fossil fuel. Our full control over flex fuel means the cost of E85 won't be as volatile as regular gasoline.
8. E85 Is Becoming More Available Across The US
More and more gas stations are starting to offer E85. Right now, it's available in over 3,800 gas stations across the US. Flex fuel is already widely available in the eastern and midwestern US. It's starting to be more available in the west. To see if there are any E85 stations near you, check out our E85 locator.
It’s Easier Than Ever To Switch To E85 Flex Fuel
If you're interested in switching to E85, you don’t need to get an E85 compatible car. You can make your car E85 compatible with one of our E85 capability kits. They're plug-and-play devices that will make your engine able to run on E85 flex fuel. Learn more about how eFlexFuel E85 capability kits work here.
