FYI: Who's making E85 Vehicles this year.

[Joe_Black]

With our oil-dependency getting more and more expensive it's interesting to see who is actually making and selling vehicles that run on E85 (85% Ethanol, 15% Gasoline) to help move toward freedom from foreign oil.

2005 Ethanol/E85 Consumer Vehicles (http://www.eere.energy.gov/cleancities/vbg/progs/search_type.cgi?2)

It's truly sad that we missed the boat on Ethanol a hundred years ago when Henry Ford tried to build his automotive empire using it as a fuel rather than oil. But this is what happens when corporations make the decisions, we have no one to blame but ourselves and the majority's apathy for political involvement. That's why I don't gripe about my fuel economy or the $50 fill-ups as I'm just as responsible as any other driver. :rollg2: The US could have been the world supplier of fuel via our former glory as an agricultural giant, but that opportunity was a century ago and our current future is just market-driven consumerism.

Hopefully the market will continue to drive the price at the pump to new records surpassing $5 a gallon or more, as that's about the only thing capable of motivating the average citizen to action.

[Heraclid]

Thanks for the list, but now the issue is finding a place where you can even get E85. Oh, BTW, Dodge Caravan has been E85-capable since at least 1996 because that's when Amanda got her first one and now she's on her second because she wouldn't even consider anything else. :-)

[crager34]

This needs to happen soon. Notice the recent influx of alternative energy ads on TV... yahoo news had a story where they admitted an oil shortage coming within 50 years. Wouldn't be a bad idea to re-consider the commute it takes to get to work and to learn how to ride a bicycle again (lol).

[Joe_Black]

Yeah, I was recently surprised to see a full-page magazine ad touting ethanol production by a big oil company. They've got to put the spin on it so they'll look like saviours rather than the oppressive culprits they really are. Then again, that's just business.

As for E85 being more widely available, that's supply and demand from a corporate perspective. They're not going to put it where it isn't going to make money, so of course no one will buy it where it isn't available.

One point is this: Average Americans aren't going to do squat until forced, and even then reluctantly. We're basically a society that's so lazy most will watch bad television when the remote is broken rather than get up to change the channel. We, as a nation, handle the political process the same way, which is why things are so messed up and the power is more centralized than ever before. We are the "United States" only in name. And because they have so much power as well the corporations aren't going to switch to something better until it's clearly profitable, which is why they're beginning the spin campaign now.

[Heraclid]

LOL! Yeah, that reminds me of how the cigarette manufacturers are now out there trying to educate young Americans about the hazards of smoking. :-)

Using E85 means you'll get about a 30% reduction in gas mileage, and it's not suitable for use in places where winter temps can dip to 0 degrees and below. Just two things to think about. The temperature thing would need to be circumvented, and people would probably not mind filling up more often because of the cost savings. The other thing is that E85 is a blend and is still 15% gasoline.