Ethanol blended fuel - E-85 4Runner? I don't think so.

[RL Lemke]

Here are the details I have just learned about the new E-85 some members here have been craving. Real world tests at Chevy show that you will suffer a 27% mileage reduction using E-85. Without the Federal subsidies, the price of E-85 would be $4/gallon.

Without a lot of work by the auto manufacturers, and ethanol producers, E-85 will remain a loser.

Maybe someday in the future ethanol will be able to replace oil imports, but not yet.

 

[RL Lemke]

When gasoline is sent by pipeline, the maximum ethanol allowed is 10%. Any greater percentage of ethanol corrodes the pipeline. What does that indicate for engines running E-85?

When I'm up north in farm country, I buy 10% ethanol blend to absorb any accumulated water from my gas tank. Yes, my mileage suffers, but the price is subsidized by reduced gasoline tax. However, I would not care to run a steady flow of ethanol thru my engine.

Since MTBE is going to be replaced my ethanol as an octane booster, I may be forced to run 10% ethanol. If so, I'll be looking for an additive to protect my fuel system and engine from corrosion.

 

[Otto]

Here are the details I have just learned about the new E-85 some members here have been craving. Real world tests at Chevy show that you will suffer a 27% mileage reduction using E-85. Without the Federal subsidies, the price of E-85 would be $4/gallon.

Without a lot of work by the auto manufacturers, and ethanol producers, E-85 will remain a loser.

Maybe someday in the future ethanol will be able to replace oil imports, but not yet.

Even if it really is a 27% reduction in mileage, if the cost per gallon is more than 27% less (which I believe it is), you make out in the end.

It will take some work, any alternative fuel source will. The alternative is to do nothing and get screwed by OPEC. The auto manufacturers will invest the money and put forward the effort if the public buys into the idea. But if people just sit back and bad mouth the efforts, we will never get anywhere.

You're calling it a loser without even giving it a chance. I'm not advocationg running ethanol in our current "made for gasoline" engines, but I don't think it would be too hard for Toyota to make some modifications in future models to better support Ethanol and E85.

We need to start somewhere right? At least the ball is rolling.

 

[JB.]

Re: Re: Ethanol blended fuel - E-85 4Runner? I don't think so.

It will take some work, any alternative fuel source will. The alternative is to do nothing and get screwed by OPEC.

Who's doing nothing? Toyota leads the pack in Hybrid technology. Perhpas they're not developing the particular solution paths you would like but unless you're a VERY large shareholder, they're not likely to. Technology advances are accelerating in nearly every field and they WILL be finding their way into auto industry. Solutions are coming and they're inevitable. Handwringing news headlines notwithstanding, markets will ensure this outcome but it could be significantly slowed if companies at a technological or other disadvantage force inferior wares into the marketplace via political favors.