My E85 Experiment

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Arthur Akard

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Several weeks ago I ran across a station near my office that sells E85 (Kroger Grocery store gas station). I have wanted to try E85 for the last 2 years so I eagerly decided to conduct my own experiment and see how my ’04 Sport Trac would fair using it. So for the last 3 weeks I have been using E85 exclusively while driving approx. 400 miles a week. With nearly 4 tanks of E85 burned I feel that I can draw a few initial conclusions. Performance wise I have noticed absolutely no difference, maybe even a little more pep in acceleration (105 octane) but that could very well be in my head. As for cost per gallon the E85 seems to run around 26 to 30 cents a gal cheaper than regular unleaded. This morning I paid 2.39 (rounded up) for a gallon of E85 and regular unleaded was 2.66 (rounded up) at the pump right next to the E85. No bad but now reality sets in – fuel mileage. With regular unleaded I pretty consistently get 19 MPG (with the A/C on) but with E85 is drops to 13 MPG. A 32% decrease in mileage. Put pen to paper and it gets even uglier. To go 360 miles on unleaded gas it takes 18.9 gallons, costing me (using 2.66 for example) $50.40. To go the same distance with E85 (at 2.39 a gallon), it takes 27.7 gallons, costing me $66.20. Doing a little math, it looks like using E85 costs me an additional $15.78 vs. using regular unleaded to go 360 miles (typical distance I can go on one tank of regular unleaded). Don’t sue me if my math is a little off – I’m a biology major! I knew there was going to be a reduction in mileage but I was surprise it was that much. The E85 propaganda that was at the pump said mileage would decrease 10% to 15%, not the 32% I saw.



Of course I started this little experiment as gas prices started to drop - but that is reality. Will America be willing to pay more for E85 than for regular unleaded? At an extra $16 bucks to go the same distance (as unleaded would normally carry me on one tank) that sure is a lot of money - but I really like the positive benefits for the environment and impact it would have on our dependence on foreign oil. Are folks in other areas noticing the same results or is there a bigger price difference between E85 and regular unleaded than here in Dallas? - Art

 
A 32% decrease in milage really hurts..Iam retired with only the wife working...I would have to give up the trac...:wacko:
 
Thanks. I have had fun giving it a shot. And for the record, I'm going to continue to use E85 becasue I am concerned about the environment and because of the 1st Gulf War!:D (But if regular unleaded continues to drop and E85 doesn't mirror it - back to regular unleaded)
 
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Heck, here in Okla, E85 is MORE expensive than 87 unleaded so the cost increase for E85 is even worse.
 
im curious though at what it costs to actually make a gallon of E85 from field to pump,

if the Govt is going to lower MPG requirements for vehicles that use E85

and once it becomes more readily available/popular will the price go down or up?
 
For those of us that can use E-85 it may be too costly an alternative. The Owner's manual states that you can expect a drop of up to 30% in mpg's. That tells me that to make it worth my while I'd have to see that much of a difference in the price.



I like the idea that my ST is not dependent on gasoline, but until we get some leaders that can bring our technological prowess to bear on cost effective alternatives, I'll be waiting.



D-
 
yep, in higher altitudes such as Salt Lake, 85 octane will run the same as 87 octane in a engine. I noticed it changed to 86 at Amarillo and 85 at Santa Fe, NM due to the altitude.
 
Technically, E85 will give you better GASOLINE mileage. That is why the automakers push it. The CAFE goes up.





Tom



 
What I wanted to know is how much better it would run if there was an E85 tune to make the bestest out of teh 100-105 octane.



I main if a 91 performance tune can get you 5-8% better MPG. You would think that a good tune would do better, since they more then likely didn't do any tuning at teh factory.



I offered to be teh test piggine and there where no takers.



I want to test with the stock tune and see if the 91 tune affects teh E85 at all. I'm not sure if there is or is not a differance built in tune for it, you think there has to be.



I guess we'll see now that there is more and more stations starting to carry it.
 

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