Home / Shop by Technology /

Guide to Ethanol Cars & Vehicles

Ethanol is a renewable fuel that comes from agricultural feedstocks, and thus can be produced domestically. Using ethanol—particularly E85, an 85-percent blend of ethanol—also results in less pollution, reducing smog-forming emissions by as much as 50 percent relative to gasoline. E85-powered vehicles contribute to global warming, although experts disagree about just how much greenhouse gas is emitted by using ethanol.

E85 may be better for the environment and the American farmer, but it has some drawbacks.

• Higher Price

  Ethanol can be more expensive than gasoline, depending on where you live.

• Less Energy

  Regardless of the price you pay for ethanol, it contains less energy than gasoline. This means that your car won’t go as far on a gallon of E85, and your fuel economy will decrease by 20-30 percent.

• Lack of Availability

  E85 is widely available only in the Midwest. The Department of Energy lists nearly 2,000 1,000 E85 stations in the United States, but most of those are in two states: Minnesota and Illinois. Other areas, even populous ones, have little E85 infrastructure.

List of E85 Ethanol Cars