What percent of America' automobile fleet is flex fuel?

Question

A site giving that info by county would be great. I'm wondering how long before gas stations will be able to sell ethanol economically.

Answer 1

There is a large percent of America's automobiles that can use alternative fuels, but few of these flex-fuel vehicles are actually using E-85.

The US government requires that 75% of all government vehicles be alternative fuel vehicles and these vehicles are required to use alternative fuel 100% of the time or a justification must be filed each time they do no use alternative fuel.  (Energy Act of 2005).

The limiting factor in the USA is the availability of ethanol E-85.

Answer 2

Probably less than 1/3.  American companies have a wide range of trucks and some cars that are flex fuel.  Almost no Japanese or European companies do though.

There are ethanol stations all over in the midwest.  However its never going to be a good economical fuel.  It takes more energy to make it than you get out of it, takes huge amounts of water, and your mileage will drop by about 1/3 compared to gas.  Cant be shipped in pipes like gas because its extremely susceptible to water.  Sugar based ethanol (like Brazil uses) is better than our corn based ethanol (like the US uses) however our climate means we cant grow large amounts of sugar here.  The only reason its priced better than gas is government subsidies.