Killer price on E-85 around here....

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This price difference would likely make the MPG difference a wash. E85 ran great in my 2010 FX4 when towing, but the MPG and price difference between it and E10, did not make it worth it at the time.
 
For that kind of price difference, the E85 would be a no-brainer for anyone with a flex fuel vehicle.
 
Originally Posted By: steveh
The online calculator says at $2.47 you break even at $1.74.


Would that be with a calculated 25% mpg loss?
 
Originally Posted By: JustinH
The e85 spread down here is probably 5 cents. Doesn't make sense.


Depends on the distance from the corn fields. Ethanol has to sent via tanker truck so the further away it is from the corn belt, the more it costs. So it makes sense in some areas, not so much in others.
 
A lot of fuel grade ethanol is transported by barges and railcars as well. Proximity of a terminal to a navigable waterway or rail supply is a factor. Houston area is the only place in Texas I've seen E85 at retail with a reasonable price spread. Ohio was a different story.
 
E 85 around here is usually 20-30 cents under regular unleaded...............but right now regular is $2.64 - E85 $1.69
 
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I have been burning E85 in the Ranger since the last gas spike.
RUG is $2.56, E85 is $1.58 minus 6 cents/gal for using Speedy Rewards MC = $1.52.
 
Originally Posted By: Nyogtha
A lot of fuel grade ethanol is transported by barges and railcars as well. Proximity of a terminal to a navigable waterway or rail supply is a factor. Houston area is the only place in Texas I've seen E85 at retail with a reasonable price spread. Ohio was a different story.


That makes sense. We have no cornfields nearby, but there is a river terminal and railroads. E85 is about 50 cents less a gallon here now.
 
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I may be wrong , but I think , at one time , Uncle Sugar was paying $ .50 a gallon subsidy for the ethanol ?

Waste of my tax money ! :-(
 
We drove by a Thornton's today and they had E10 for $2.479 and E85 for 1.859, so the lower cost per mile would be had with the E85, assuming one had a flex fuel vehicle.
Ohio is corn country, after all.
 
Originally Posted By: Nyogtha
A lot of fuel grade ethanol is transported by barges and railcars as well. Proximity of a terminal to a navigable waterway or rail supply is a factor. Houston area is the only place in Texas I've seen E85 at retail with a reasonable price spread. Ohio was a different story.

Not around me. There is a $0.02-0.05 price difference between e-10 and e-85 at most stations.

I did see a new Walmart fuel station that had e-15, and there was more of a spread there. I think the e-15 was $0.07 less than e-10, and the e-85 was $0.20? less/gallon.
Still not worth it for either IMO.
 
Last time I was in Houston was holiday season 2 years ago. I had a rental Silverado with Flex Fuel capability. E85 was $0.45 / gal cheaper when I filled it up to return to the airport. I lived in the Great Lakes area at the time.
 
At current $2.43 for regular in my area, my 2015 2500 6.0 averages about 14 mpg for all miles for a cost per mile of just over 17 cents a mile. The same vehicle gets about 11 mpg average with E85. So the break even price for E85 is about $1.87. It is currently at $1.70 in my area, so it is a net gain per mile to use it. Several years ago when we had $4 regular gas, E85 was a steal. I could get it $1 to $1.50 a gallon cheaper. My vehicles lived on E85 for a couple of years. It is why I prefer flex fuel vehicles. I like options as prices fluctuate.
 
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