The Chevy Impala has a flex fuel option. Cost is ##Question_Title##. Why isn't it just standard equipment?

Question

http://www.edmunds.com/new/2008/chevrolet/impala/100864161/options.html?action=1&x=77&y=15

Answer 1

A really good question!

Answer 2

Flex fuels are available everywhere, anyplace that sells E85 ethanol.

It should be a requirement that all vehicles have this as standard equipment, so those who want to encourage renewable fuels can do so.

It's not that complicated a process, you need to have additional fuel maps programmed into the fuel injection system to increase the time the injectors are open and compensate for detonation.

Answer 3

Because flex fuels are barely available anywhere outside of Brazil.  They create flex fuels from sugar cane, while the try in North America was with corn but it didn't work well.  Surgar cane flex fuel has 7 times the power of corn ethanol and is known as E85.  

But hold onto your flex option...someday soon it will be standard on all GM cars.

Answer 4

A)  i don't know.

B)  possibly because it's one more thing to maintain, and/or go wrong, and if you live where there isn't any, maybe you don't want to risk having to repair something from which you'll never benefit.  (i think it likely that flex fuel is temporary.  i think they'll come up with something different.  using food to power cars just doesn't make a lot of sense today.  jmho :)