I discovered that our new used car is a flex-fuel vehicle that runs on E-85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline). I’ve decided I now need to be smarmy. All those Prius hybrid drivers have been feeling good about themselves by halving their use of foreign hydrocarbons. But I’m walloping them!
Of course, E85 still requires energy to refine from corn. Still, I’m very happy to substitute American coal, American hydroelectricity, etc. instead of importing foreign hydrocarbons from the Gap.
Ethanol has come a long say since E10 first came on the market, and it’s still a growth industry. It’s important that our vehicle fleet get off foreign hydrocarbons, so we stop propping up dangerous regimes such as Russia, Iran, and Venezuela. Plugins like the Chevy Volt, hyrbids like the Toyota Prius, and E85 cars like mine are all part of the solution.
Indeed, if there is going to be any Detroit bailout, the government should use its bargaining power to maximize the number of E-85 plugin hybrids produced.
