Whats the point of E85 gasoline?

[Farmer17]

When I bought my new Ram 1500 in 2018 it was rated for E85 gas which I thought was great because it was about 50 cents/gallon cheaper. Then I filled my tank with E85 and my gas mileage went down from 21 mpg in the city to about 13 miles per gallon. I was happy getting 21 mpg from the 10% E10 Ethanol since I drive with a heavy right foot but no way E85 would be cost effective even if they dropped the price a bunch. The mechanic at the dealer told me to run some E85 through my truck a couple of times a year to keep the injectors clean so I don't have to pay to have them cleaned but other than that whats the use for it? I still run pure gasoline though all my other engines like law equipment, four wheeler, and boat because I heard the ethanol was bad on the seals on the older or less sophisticated engines.

 

[pawngal]

The push behind E85 is because the ethanol comes from a renewable resource, corn. I had a 2011 Tundra, a notorious gas guzzler, that could use it. I figured out the price difference had to be at least 90 cents a gal. Did hit that a few times years ago.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

Never heard a E85 story with a happy ending!

Ivan

 

[kozmic]

Another epic fail from the chauffeured crew in DC

 

[swsig]

If you're a corn farmer, you love E85. It takes an enormous amount of corn to produce it. That keeps the demand for corn, and consequently the price, at a high level. Politicians from corn-producing states who vote against E85 would have short careers.

 

[MRB1]

If the government is pushing it's use, I'll continue to run ethanol-free gas.

 

[ggibson511960]

E85 (ethanol) is a windfall for the corn industry, specifically Archer-Daniel-Midland, Cargill and the host of other providers of the technology. As an energy source, it suffices if nothing else is available. A fair accounting of the diesel fuel, fertilizer and energy necessary to grow, harvest, transport, ferment, distill and blend ethanol makes it about an energy break even, not a good strategy for a planet with finite resources. Ethanol fuel was a nice byproduct of sugarcane on the Gulf Coast and for Brasil that had nothing else. With 60% of the Btu content per pound, ethanol struggles to compete with fossil fuel. Ethanol distilleries need a waiver from the EPA for formaldehyde emissions. The production blend credits, import tariffs and consumption mandates keep the ethanol industry on life support. Nobody pipelines ethanol or blends due to metallurgical problems and hygroscopic corrosion.

E85 use does make it easier for the U.S. to meet the silly consumption mandates dreamed up by the EPA.

 

[GypsmJim]

The mechanic at the dealer told me to run some E85 through my truck a couple of times a year to keep the injectors clean so I don't have to pay to have them cleaned but other than that whats the use for it?

I have not had to clean or rebuild a carburetor or clean injectors for many years. Not since using E10. E85 is not necessary in that regard.

The purpose for using E85 is because it's a renewable resource and is not dependent upon foreign oil.

Nobody said it was cost effective.

 

[Old 44 Guy]

Tried it once on an out of state trip. Lousy milage. Never again.

 

[lihpster]

If you put E85 in the new Dodge Demon 170, horsepower goes from 900 on dino fuel to 1025. So, there's that very specific purpose.

 

[Breakaway500]

Great stuff in high performance cars. Mileage goes down but power goes up! Hard to find in my area so my "needy" track cars live on track sourced 100 octane (which does have 10% alcohol)

 

[arjay]

We subsidize corn so there a huge excess of it (farmers ain’t dumb) It’s got to go somewhere…

 

[Rustyt1953]

E85, E86, whatever it takes.

 

[twodog max]

Making fuel from a food source is a dumb idea no matter how it is sliced.

 

[venomballistics]

Yeah ... It has lower energy density.
Yes, your milage will take a kick in the crotch and you may or may not see any savings depending on how much effort you want to put into tracking commodities.
What it does bring to the table is lower emissions.
For that, if it was consistently the better economic choice, I'd give it serious consideration.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

But Tojo say No No!

 

[venomballistics]

Making fuel from a food source is a dumb idea no matter how it is sliced.

It's already used in ridiculous ways.
As E85 goes, I think it's fading away into obscurity anyhow.

 

[MRB1]

We subsidize corn so there a huge excess of it (farmers ain’t dumb) It’s got to go somewhere…

It would be nice if that "somewhere" was to the feed distributors - my feed corn costs are unjustly high.

 

[pharmer]

I just don't understand how boiling "mash" to distill alcohol (which at that point would be "high octane hooch") is more "planet friendly" when it's added to gas thereby cutting mileage by 10% for E10 and 20% for E 15. I guess it's more "DC math." I guess since Bill gates can't control oil production he'll buy all the cornfields and control us that way. Yes, I do believe Gates/ Microsoft are evil. Joe

 

[DWalt]

My Ford Ranger works on E85. Never used it, probably never will. And I don't know of any gas stations near me that sell it. I do notice that some have"No Ethanol" gas, but at about a $1/gal premium price. That puzzles me. I would think it should be cheaper, not more expensive.