If more farmers are growing corn for ethanol, why aren't there more cars with ethanol out right now?

Question

wondering....

Answer 1

There are already MILLIONS of vehicles on the road that can use E85 and nearly ALL vehicles can use the common E10.

It is true that the American auto manufacturers have been producing Flex-Fuel vehicles since 1995 (Ford).

Chrysler started producing them in 1998 & GM started in 2000.

Many people don't even realize that some of the vehicles in their driveways already ARE capable of using E85.

I recently had a customer that traded in an '05 Tahoe. She owned it for 4 years & didn't know that it was a Flex-Fuel vehicle untill I pointed it out to her (it was labeled inside the fuel-filler-door) .

It is a shame that people don't realize it because, had they known, they could have taken advantage of the many Federal & State tax incentives that are available to them.

Illinois, for example, will pay up to $450 a  year (each of the first 3 years of ownership) to a flex-fuel_vehicle_owner, providing that they prove that they are actually using E85. This to compensate for the fuel economy loss when using E85.

In my personal experiments (many) I have experienced a 1-2 Miles_per_gallon loss with E85 as opposed to gasoline in the same vehicle.

And the Federal tax incentive is $2000 when a person purchases a NEW flex-fuel vehicle.

Even some of the Foreign manufacturers are now building Flex-Fuel vehicles.

Ford also has a Hybrid Escape that can ALSO run on E85 in Research & Development. It has been in R&D for 2 years now & I hope it will be available to the public soon.

For more information as to which vehicles are available please see the charts at :

http://www.e85fuel.com/e85101/flexfuelve...

ps: even if it did NOT have a monetary benefit, some people would rather give their  fuel dollars to an Illinois Corn Farmer than to a Foreign Oil Sheik.

Some people believe that:anything that can reduce this country's (US) dependancy on Foreign Oil is a step in the right direction. And Flex-Fuel vehicles give people the right to CHOOSE where their fuel dollars go.

Answer 2

Ethanol is used as an additive to gasoline. Here in Ohio our gas may contain as much as 10% ethanol. Cars can run on pure ethanol, but require major modifications to run properly.

Answer 3

Right now the demand is greater than the supply.  There aren't that many alternative fuel cars because there's not enough ethanol to go around.  The majority of what is available is used in regular gasoline cars.  It's a gas/ethanol mixture.

Answer 4

The more cars that go to ethanol, the more corn it will use the higher the price on corn. With each increase, it will soon raise the price on a gallon of gas. Another reason because the cars are not changing is you do not get as good of mileage. The only way to break the cycle is to completely change the fuel system.

Answer 5

that's why. it is because they have not macnifacture them yet

Answer 6

all the auto company's make flex fuel models that will run on E85(85% alcohol) or gasoline.

many states in the Midwest have laws that require gas stations to sell E10 (10% alcohol) instead of regular gasoline.

any gasoline engine will run on E10 but will get less gas mileage on it because of the reduced energy content.

Answer 7

almost all "gas" has 5 to 10 % ethanol in it now as a anti pollution agent...e 85 is not being sold outside the midwest becaus of hith transport cost...without government help it would cost 5 dollars a gallon

Answer 8

It's not perfected yet.

Answer 9

Auto makers don't all like their engines running on ethanol because to get the best from the fuel the motor needs to be tuned differently and computerisation of cars do not like to let you set engines up differently

Answer 10

Also you have to put a conversion kit in you car, not at all the same as the gasolin that goes into your car now. The conversion kits sell online and in some stores but they are also not cheap, its easies to put into a diesel car.

Answer 11

Most of the fuel grade ethanol produced is blended with gasoline to meet the government mandated renewable content.  Thus, most cars are actually using ethanol now.