By PAIGE E. WASSEL, Daily Journal staff writer
Unleaded. Plus. Diesel. E-85?
A corn-based ethanol blend might soon be taking its place alongside other fuels at area stations in the coming weeks.
A federal grant of $1,000 is helping two area stations make the fuel available.
Trafalgar and Bargersville stations are outfitting pumps to sell the alternative fuel, a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent reformulated gasoline, that drivers with flexible-fuel vehicles can put in the tank.
The gas stations were two of eight Indiana gas stations to receive $1,000 federal grants to install E-85 pumps.
With fuel costs on the rise, area motorists are researching vehicles that run on all kinds of fuel, including E-85.
At Ray Skillman Auto Center in Indianapolis, sales representatives are starting to get more questions about vehicles that can run on alternative fuel.
Hospitals and factory fleet representatives are calling corporate offices to see when their stations will start selling the ethanol blend.
For drivers, the blend means a more environmentally friendly fuel that supports the domestic economy.
The Joe’s Junction Phillips 66 gas station in Trafalgar is hoping to open its new E-85 pump next week, director of marketing and sales Gilbert Huxley said.
Residents and companies are calling the sales and marketing director for area Joe’s Junction gas stations wanting to know when the fuel will be available.
Eli Lilly and Co., St. Francis Hospital and other groups have called to find out about the Indianapolis station, Huxley said. Interest in the Trafalgar station has come from private citizens.
Gas America is building a station that will sell E-85 fuel on State Road 135 in Bargersville. The station is expected to open in late November, vice president of construction Keith White said.
White said he’s received other calls from residents who wanted to add the option to a station under construction at the intersection of Arlington Avenue and Stop 11 Road in Indianapolis.
But construction on the station was too far along to add the option, White said.
“We’re hoping there’s a good interest in it,” White said. “We’re looking forward to trying it.”
At Ray Skillman, interest is starting to rise in E-85, diesel and other alternative fuel vehicles, GMC sales manager Larry Weaver said.
Residents are calling about alternative fuel sources, like
E-85, as they see more advertisements and stories about them in the media, Weaver said.
Flex-fuel vehicles can run on both the ethanol blend and regular gasoline.
E-85 fuel has a higher oxygen content than regular gasoline, which can be tough on engines that don’t carry the flexible fuel label.
Motorists can check the owner’s manual, go online or sometimes look at the gas cap to see if a vehicle is E-85 compatible.
No quick rules or model names will help consumers find vehicles that run on the blend, which is why motorists must seek more information.
At Joe’s Junction in Trafalgar, the station will supply drivers with pamphlets, phone numbers and a Web site to check the compatibility, Huxley said.
Environmentalists tout the corn-based fuel for its clean-burning qualities, reducing carbon monoxide emissions from the pipe to the air.
Politicians and farmers support the fuel for decreasing the county’s dependence on foreign oil by supporting a domestic product.
Federal incentives mean less green at the pump for E-85 drivers, as blenders can get a refund of up to 51 cents per gallon of ethanol that is blended with gasoline. The refund translates into a cheaper pump price.
At some stations, the fuel can cost 20 to 30 cents less per gallon than regular unleaded gasoline, Huxley said.
But the savings may be offset by more trips to the gas station, since the fuel burns less efficiently than regular gasoline.
Ethanol can cut fuel efficiency by at least 15 percent, which means E-85 users may sacrifice a few miles per gallon, said Wallace Tyner, Purdue University professor of agricultural economics.
For example, at $3 per gallon, E-85 fuel would have to be 45 cents cheaper than regular gas for motorists to save on fill-ups overall, Tyner said.
Other advocates argue the cleaner-burning fuel may mean less wear and tear to the engine over time, saving on other costs.
If a customer inadvertently fills up with the blend, but his engine isn’t compatible, he shouldn’t worry.
A one-time fill-up with E-85 shouldn’t cause significant damage to an engine not equipped to handle the switch, according to a National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition Web site.
Fuel system parts on flex-fuel vehicles have been modified to handle ethanol, since alcohol fuels can be more corrosive than gasoline.
Drivers can go online to www.e85fuel.com to find out if a vehicle is E-85 compatible.
Portions © 2005 The Daily Journal, Johnson County, Indiana