When is E85 worth it in a FlexFuel vehicle?
October 9, 2013 12:05 PM   Subscribe

Our vanpool just switched to a 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan. It's a FlexFuel vehicle and we'd like to know when/if it makes sense to use E85 fuel. We live in Minnesota. Our typical commute is 40 miles at highway speeds. Environmental concerns will be weighed, but so will economical ones.
posted by advicepig to Travel & Transportation (8 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
Best answer: This Edmunds test is worth a read. It looks like you get about 25% less MPG on E85. If E85 costs less than 75% of what gas costs, it is economically feasible.
posted by kindall at 12:17 PM on October 9, 2013 [1 favorite]


The loss in mileage in my flexfuel vehicle (GMC truck) equals to the gain in savings. Considering what ethanol has done for the price of grain; I pass on it.
I would imagine that a proper spoiler or ground effects kit would gain some % in mileage. YMMV.
posted by buzzman at 1:35 PM on October 9, 2013


If the ethanol is made from corn or other grain, its pretty much never makes environmental sense to use it at 85% in fuel.
posted by Good Brain at 1:52 PM on October 9, 2013


I have an e85 vehicle and the biggest reason I do not use it is because I lose approx 125 miles a tank. I drive anywhere from 600 to 1500 miles a week and losing that 125 miles adds fill ups that take time. Not to mention I have to go out of my way to find e85 stations (this is in California, ymmv).
posted by M Edward at 3:35 PM on October 9, 2013


Response by poster: A lot of people here and on my similar Facebook post a mentioning things like effects on food production or grain costs and the like but not going into any detail. Do any of you have sources I could evaluate?
posted by advicepig at 4:30 PM on October 9, 2013


Best answer: Check the fueleconomy.gov website for that vehicle.

At the default assumption of 15,000 miles a year, 55% city driving, and national average prices, using E85 will cost $900 more per year than gasoline in a 2014 Grand Caravan.

You can adjust all those variables to get a better estimate for your circumstances.
posted by pmurray63 at 7:26 PM on October 9, 2013




Most of the ethanol in fuel in the US comes from corn. Corn-based ethanol is one of the stupidest things, ever. Corn production in the US relies on heavy amounts of fertilizer, which is made by consuming natural gas. A lot of it is irrigated with water from a deep aquifer which is being drained faster than it is being recharged. Excess water and fertilizer ends up in the Mississippi, which carries it to the gulf of mexico, where it causes algal blooms that end up dying and decomposing, which consumes oxygen dissolved in the water and creates dead-zones that kill fish and plankton. The harvested corn, which makes up a minority of the biomass grown with that fertilizer and scarce water, has to be hauled to a plant and processed so yeast can ferment it, which they do, until they die because of the build up of their own waste, which happens at ~18% ethanol. Then, a bunch of energy has to be used to boil the water and ethanol so it can be distilled to the point where it can be used as a fuel, and then it has to be hauled again. Even if it had no impact on the cost of food, it would still be stupid.

Hey, but if you want to read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/the-ethanol-scam-20110323
posted by Good Brain at 10:50 PM on October 9, 2013


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