David @ the Hybrid Car Show

Ethanol: Our Answer to Reducing U.S. Dependence on Foreign Oil

Our energy and tax policy does not help. Preferential U.S. regulatory and tax treatment of ethanol automotive fuels introduces complexities beyond its energy economics alone. North American automakers promote a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, marketed as E85, via their flex-fuel vehicles, e.g. GM's "Live Green, Go Yellow" campaign. The motivation is the nature of U.S. Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, which give an effective 54% fuel efficiency bonus (which is patently untrue) to vehicles capable of running on 85% alcohol blends over vehicles not adapted to run on 85% alcohol blends.