Will the New Ethanol Blend Tank My Ride?

The EPA has approved a new gas mix with more ethanol, but it might damage your car.

After years of debate—and I'm not exaggerating on that—my husband and I finally bought a car. We settled on a Prius C, a pint-sized younger sibling of the iconic originals that gets 53 miles per gallon.

I drove the car for weeks before I finally had to stop at a gas station. When I pulled open the door to my tank, I found a stark warning sign on the cap telling me I was NOT to put any gasoline blend higher than E10 in my tank.

E10 means gasoline with a 10 percent mix of ethanol, generally derived from corn, and it used to be the highest blend of ethanol allowed in the United States. Ten states require all gas to include 10 percent ethanol. About 80 percent of the gasoline consumed in the US is blended with ethanol, according to the industry's trade group, the Renewable Fuels Association. Most of us—myself included—don't pay a lot attention to what gas we're pumping into our cars, outside of "diesel" or "unleaded," and might not have realized that we are already pumping corn into our tanks.

But we'll have to start paying attention soon, as the Environmental Protection Agency has approved a new policy that will allow states to raise the blend to up to 15 percent ethanol (also known as E15). The EPA says the fuel is approved for use for cars and light trucks from the model year 2001 and later.

http://m.motherjones.com/environment/2012/12/will-e15-tank-my-ride