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Even with High Gas Prices, E85 makes little sense

Detroit News --
With gasoline prices hovering near record highs, many of the millions of motorists who drive so-called "flex fuel" vehicles are wondering when it makes sense to switch to ethanol.

The answer is probably never.

While the price of ethanol, or E85, is lower than the price of regular unleaded — the average price in Michigan at the end of last week was $3.45 per gallon for E85 vs. $3.82 for regular gas — it provides less energy and, therefore, worse mileage than gas.

"Typically, it's hard to make an economic case for using E85," acknowledged Coleman Jones, head of alternative fuels for General Motors Co.

At least in the United States.

In Brazil, where most cars and trucks are capable of running on either gasoline or ethanol, it is often cheaper to fuel up with the latter.

Th

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Submitted Oct 08, 2012 By: AmericanMAN
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slicerette
Champion Author South Bend

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Message Posted: Oct 10, 2012 1:12:22 PM
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Price of Ethanol is 20% Higher -
2012 Drought has driven the wholesale price of Ethanol from $2.00 a gallon on June 1 to $2.40 a gallon today, Oct. 10, 2012.
That's added to our cost of E10 regular gasoline across the nation.

NOW, the EPA is mandating we use more Ethanol in 2013, but we are buying less gasoline. Look Out - EPA is pushing E15 to get us to use more ethanol. Pres. Obama has mandated U.S. gov't flexfuel cars to use E85.


[Edited by: slicerette at 10/10/2012 3:14:13 PM EST]
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flagtown25
Champion Author New Jersey

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Message Posted: Oct 9, 2012 10:09:04 PM
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It never did.
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ktyson13
Champion Author Maryland

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Message Posted: Oct 9, 2012 12:07:05 PM
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Ethanol never made sense. This was a buyoff to the farm industry by Congress
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remay
Champion Author Houston

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Message Posted: Oct 9, 2012 7:06:35 AM
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"In many parts of the U.S., consumers have no way of knowing which blend they are getting"

That is NOT comforting information!
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dieselfiendSC
Champion Author South Carolina

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Message Posted: Oct 9, 2012 6:16:05 AM
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Old news
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mrpc90
Champion Author Illinois

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Message Posted: Oct 9, 2012 6:07:14 AM
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Yesterday's news
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wally52
Champion Author Little Rock

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:38:31 PM
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It makes no sense, so quit producing it.
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kgbellman
Champion Author Ann Arbor

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 11:02:58 PM
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Agreed - cheaper price, but lower MPG
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nurdco
Champion Author Colorado Springs

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Rises quickly despite its LOW Gasoline mixture
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Zonk
Champion Author Michigan

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:54:54 PM
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Whether or not it comes from sugar cane or corn is not important. Let's just ban ethanol as a fuel for automobiles.
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granitestater
Champion Author New Hampshire

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:54:12 PM
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Ethanol of any percentage makes no sense...
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jackson661
Champion Author Columbus

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:53:28 PM
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we shall see.
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bobdec
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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:51:31 PM
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do away with all ethanol
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dhdiesel
Veteran Author Riverside

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:49:31 PM
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Is it true the production of ethanol causes more pollution than burning it for fuel?
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BobD2009
Champion Author Long Island

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Abolish ethanol.
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SaturnSC
Champion Author Columbus

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:47:53 PM
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Agreed
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gaspricemachine
Veteran Author Tampa

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:47:25 PM
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More money on repairs..
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langolera
Champion Author Akron

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bad for cars
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shores4now
Champion Author Kentucky

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:42:50 PM
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ok
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slkmoo
Champion Author Ontario

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:42:00 PM
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won't cut it here
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NavyEOD
Champion Author Los Angeles

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:39:51 PM
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No corn for me...
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SparkieMi
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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:39:49 PM
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Good post by rodzilla123!!!!!
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Aviator_Rob
Champion Author New York

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:35:57 PM
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Leave the environmentalists out of this fight, @rodzilla123. They NEVER backed ethanol. That was 100% the corn lobby, backed by Archer Daniels Midland and Monsanto.
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1fulltank
Champion Author Buffalo

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:34:20 PM
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Even with the general public opposed to it, it is still being mandated.
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vulcan96
Champion Author Ohio

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:33:30 PM
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no to ethanol - not now, not ever......stop the bribes !
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CarefreeVT
Champion Author Burlington

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:31:40 PM
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T@c0$
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J4romeo
All-Star Author Gary

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:30:48 PM
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very true!!
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rodzilla123
Champion Author San Diego

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:29:32 PM
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E85 is another Evil plan of the Environmentalist in Cahoots with the Politicians and the Corn Farmers to Screw the Consumers of America and all the good Taxpaying Americans. TIme to stop the Insanity Give the BOOT to all these Degenerates!!!
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Rooster922
Champion Author Wilmington

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:28:34 PM
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Wow!
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scu227
Champion Author New Haven

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:28:02 PM
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even without high gas prices E85 makes no sense, corn should be used for food not fuel.
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gaswatchON
Veteran Author Ontario

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:26:16 PM
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ethanol is not good for the internal combustion engine as it is made right now
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silverfox63
Champion Author Michigan

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:26:13 PM
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It is time to be rid of E85.
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vibdata
Champion Author Massachusetts

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:25:51 PM
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Gas is Gas. Alcohol is Alcohol. Never mix the two.
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10k
Champion Author North Carolina

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:25:35 PM
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no ethanol whatsoever makes sense..

unless your sole purpose is to ruin the economy..
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rawdog1313
Champion Author Lexington

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:25:21 PM
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Get rid of ethanol!
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crreed1
Champion Author West Virginia

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:24:42 PM
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just say no
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bbigred
Veteran Author Lansing

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:24:35 PM
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E85 could be cheaper but is not allowed
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arb0526
Champion Author Greensboro

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:24:28 PM
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Well...if this is all that is offered we would be forced to use despite its negative issues
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LanguageMan1
Champion Author Tampa

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:23:55 PM
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Ethanol from any kind of food or vegetable source doesn't make sense. Now from other sources where more would be produced at a lower cost, then yes, it does. They won't do that though.
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cloud23465
Champion Author Virginia Beach

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:23:51 PM
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renewable... also needs to be RELIABLE! if something goes wrong with a crop and that will drive prices up... that's NOT reliable.
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us4usa
Champion Author Missouri

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:23:30 PM
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Corn water, less MPG and higher food cost...
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DrCashFlow
Champion Author Massachusetts

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:22:19 PM
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no, repeat no, sense
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Matt G
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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:21:46 PM
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Ok
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bluetatanka
Champion Author Philadelphia

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:20:41 PM
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No to E85!
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Petrock
Champion Author Lexington

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:20:37 PM
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The corn/ethanol group will make sure that E-85 is never cheaper than gasoline. ... and this with government subsidies!
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HYEgasCA
Champion Author Fresno

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:20:31 PM
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No more ethanol.
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bvrbill
Champion Author Eugene

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:19:06 PM
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No more ethanol.
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jkpsr
Champion Author New Jersey

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:18:57 PM
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E85 destroys engines.
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jtfftj
Champion Author New Hampshire

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:17:02 PM
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Only made sense to those folks making money on the deal.
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dwh724
Champion Author Pittsburgh

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Message Posted: Oct 8, 2012 10:16:33 PM
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Okay
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