H2
Model-year 2009 Hummer H2s can now run on E85 fuel.
Detroit's automakers and President Bush say that using E85 fuel, a blend of up to 85 percent ethanol and gasoline, is an essential ingredient in America's quest for energy independence. If you agree--and you want to show your support with your checkbook--you're in luck.

New-car buyers have their pick of 33 models that can run on E85. Choices include cars, minivans, full-size vans, SUVs, and pickup trucks. General Motors leads the race with 13 models for 2009. Chrysler and its Dodge and Jeep divisions are next with 11 models. Ford has five flex-fuel models, Nissan offers two, Toyota two, and Mercedes-Benz one.

With model turnover, that's an increase from 2008, when 24 E85 vehicles were available. This year's selection almost triples the number available in 2000.
E85 Vehicles:
Flexible in Price and Power
There's a choice for nearly every budget on the 2009 roster of E85 ethanol flex-fuel vehicles. And with 403-horsepower V8s among today's E85 ethanol flex-fuel engines, you won't have to give up muscle to go green.

In this report, two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive versions of a vehicle are counted as variants of the same model. Under that formula, our report on 2009 E85 ethanol flex-fuel vehicles contains 33 entries: nine compact, midsize and large cars, two minivans, two full-size vans (with V8 engines), 13 SUVs (all with V8s), and eight pickup trucks (all with V8s).

Price wise, the lineup starts with the Chevrolet HHR model, which includes a 155-horsepower E85 ethanol flex-fuel 4-cylinder engine in its $17,930 base price. The Dodge Avenger SXT midrange trim model starts at $19,520, but adding the 186-horsepower E85 flex-fuel V6 costs an additional $1,350, for a total of $20,870. At the high end is the $59,395 Hummer H2 full-size sport-utility vehicle with a 393-horsepower V8. (Prices quoted do not include destination charges.)

Horsepower ratings range from 155 in the HHR, to the 403-horsepower V8 in General Motors' full-size pickup trucks and SUVs.

As for fuel economy, the most fuel-efficient E85 vehicle for 2009 is the Chevy HHR with the 2.2- and 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engines. Their EPA ratings are 16 city/23 highway on E85 ethanol. Close behind, at 14/22 is the Chevrolet Impala with its 211-horsepower 3.5-liter flex-fuel V6.

Trailing the pack, with EPA estimates of 9 mpg city/12 highway using E85 ethanol are the Dodge Dakota pickup truck and the Dodge Durango, Chrysler Aspen, and Jeep Grand Cherokee and Commander SUVs; all these use a 303-horsepower 4.7-liter V8. Also getting 9/12 mpg, are Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana with their 5.3-liter V8 engine. Also at 9/12 is the Ford F-150 pickup with its 320-horsepower 5.4-liter V8, and the Nissan Titan with its 317-horsepower 5.6-liter V8.

When equipped with the right engine (sometimes, the E85-capable engine comes standard), all these vehicles can run on conventional gasoline or E85 ethanol-blended fuel with no modification and no difference in performance. It's this flexibility that gives them the nickname "flex-fuel" vehicles.

E85 Pros

There are a lot of pros to running your vehicle on E85 and many reasons to consider switching from a vehicle that runs on conventional fuel to a flex-fuel vehicle. You won't pay extra for an E85 vehicle or suffer a performance deficit. Your car will pollute less, and you'll support America's energy independence. Many believe that E85 is one way to end America's dependence on fossil fuel.

E85 is shorthand for a blend of combustible motor-vehicle fuel that's 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent conventional unleaded gasoline. Ethanol is derived from plant material, mostly corn. Because its raw materials come mostly from U.S. farms and are distilled in U.S. refineries, ethanol is touted as a renewable energy source that has the potential to reduce America's dependence on foreign oil.

E85 produces fewer harmful exhaust emissions than conventional gasoline. Proponents add that utilizing this renewable energy source helps stretch the earth's finite supply of fossil fuels. They also position E85 as a support for American jobs and agriculture. According to E85 supporters, the homegrown fuel helps the nation's trade balance and reduces tax dollars and military resources needed to secure our supply of foreign oil.

Also, they argue that E85 costs about the same per gallon as conventional 87-octane gasoline. No manufacturer charges extra for E85-ethanol capability versus a model's gasoline-only counterpart, though if the gas-only counterpart is an extra-cost optional engine, the flex-fuel engine carries the same option charge.

E85 Cons

While owning an E85 vehicle certainly has its positives, there also are negatives.

Miles per gallon suffer when you run on E85 ethanol because it doesn't contain as much energy as regular-grade gasoline. According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates, fuel economy suffers by some 20 percent running on E85 versus conventional pump gasoline. For example, with no change to the engine, EPA fuel economy estimates for a flex-fuel 2009 Chevrolet Impala are 14 mpg city/22 mpg highway. That compares to 19/29 when using gasoline. A 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pickup rates 11/15 when running E85 compared to 14/20 on gasoline.

Also, simply finding a place to fill up on E85 ethanol is a challenge because most pumps are located in the Midwest or on private or government property. American automakers, stung by criticism that they lag Japanese rivals in production of gas/electric hybrid vehicles, have embraced E85 under the umbrella of energy conservation and independence. Already having built several million E85 vehicles over the last decade, GM, Ford, and the Chrysler Group say they plan to put a combined total of 2 million more on the road each year. Their top executives have lobbied for increased government support of ethanol production. And the companies fund campaigns to promote the use of E85 and the installation of more E85 pumps at gas stations.

Critics deride the millions of dollars in tax subsidies provided to ethanol producers, labeling them government handouts that go primarily to giant agricultural interests and big-corporation refineries.

Detractors also doubt the environmental benefits, noting that lots of non-renewable diesel and gas is consumed to grow, transport, and process corn that becomes ethanol. Others maintain it requires more energy to produce ethanol than ethanol itself provides. Even the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency acknowledges that putting more flex-fuel vehicles on the road could raise levels of some types of harmful air pollution.

Lastly, while this field is dominated by full-size vans, trucks, and SUVs, there are a bunch of more-miserly offerings to cater to most tastes. Don't be surprised, though, if, in the next few years, more automakers jump on the bandwagon, flooding the marketplace with flex-fuel options.