TrueBlueGTO

January 21, 2011 http://detnews.com/article/20110121/AUTO01/101210369
EPA to approve use of E15 in 2001-06 model vehicles

Allowing ethanol blend may push retailers to carry fuel

DAVID SHEPARDSON
Detroit News Washington Bureau

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency will announce today that it is approving a higher blend of ethanol known as E15 for use in tens of millions of older vehicles.

The EPA has decided to approve the use of the fuel for 2001 to 2006 model years, a person briefed on the matter said late Thursday.

The decision is a victory for the ethanol industry and corn farmers, who have been pushing to increase the percentage of ethanol. The decision may help convince retailers to carry the fuel when the EPA finalizes new labels.

In October, the EPA approved the use of E15, a blend of 15 percent ethanol and 85 percent gasoline, for use in vehicles built in the 2007 model year and newer. Most gasoline has 10 percent ethanol, known as E10.

The EPA rejected the use of the higher blend for vehicles older than the 2001 model year, but had delayed a decision on approving use for 2001-06 model year vehicles.

Automakers have expressed concerns about using a higher percentage of the corrosive ethanol blend, and last week a trade association representing foreign automakers asked Congress to review the matter.

"There is very strong evidence that higher level ethanol blends can cause significant environmental, emissions, engine durability, operational and potentially safety problems in many gasoline engines," wrote Mike Stanton, president and CEO of the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers.

Before E15 can be sold, EPA must finalize a labeling rule to warn consumers that the higher blend is only for certain vehicles.

All major automakers filed suit last month in the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington to block a federal plan to allow fuel stations to start selling E15. Boat manufacturers and lawn equipment makers joined in the suit. The EPA has not approved the use of E15 for small engines, such as those in boats, snowmobiles and lawnmowers.

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson defended the decision in October.

"Thorough testing has now shown that E15 does not harm emissions control equipment in newer cars and light trucks," Jackson said.

dshepardson@detnews.com

(202) 662-8735

smokeshow

iTrader: (16)

Bout time. Even though AZ will never see it.

dmelvin

iTrader: (8)

Missouri has been running E10 in regular and super for like 5 years. Premium is still 100% petro iirc.

03 BLACKOUTSSS

iTrader: (3)

ethanol is just a filler. IMO, its not a good thing, because it will lower the overall octane rating of the fuel we "traditional gas burners" are using. I know it has a higher octane, but it has a lower energy density than gas. It would be as if we were cutting our fuel by 10%. The ethanol will prevent us from running lean, but the same level of energy cannot be extracted from E15 that can be from E10. If all the gas stations start carrying that, we will all have to retune and get bigger injectors to get more fuel into the CC.

I know that was a rough explanation of energy densities, google it, you'll find better explanations.

dmelvin

iTrader: (8)

Long story short, Ethanol has less BTU per unit of measure than gasoline. Which is why you see less fuel economy when running E-85 in a flex fuel.

"Ethanol is a dream, and a dumb one. My SUV doesn't run on corn"
-Daniel Tosh

We've got to come up with a better way of producing ethanol if it's going to be this super savior from fossil fuels, it's an extremely inefficient process of turning corn into ethanol, and it's driving up the cost of corn, and therefore the cost of the ethanol and the cost of beef (almost all cattle is fed with corn products).

End short soapbox rant