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E85 Fleet Toolkit

Environmental Issues

E85 is a fuel, and its combustion within an engine creates exhaust emissions similar to those of other fuels. However, the use of E85 can reduce tailpipe emissions; can pose less of an evaporative emissions source than other liquid transportation fuels because of its low Reid vapor pressure; and, as a biofuel, E85 use can result in lower fuel life-cycle emissions of greenhouse gases (primarily carbon dioxide).

Use of E85 by your fleet can offer considerable environmental benefits including:

  1. Reduced ozone-forming emissions.

  2. Reduced fuel life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions (carbon dioxide). Depending on the feedstocks and production methods employed and the vehicle technologies used, these estimates range from reductions nearing 30% to greater than 100%. Source: M. Wang, C. Saricks, and D. Santini, Effects of Fuel Ethanol on Fuel-Cycle Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions, January 1999. Argonne National Laboratory.

  3. It is primarily composed of ethyl alcohol (ethanol), which is derived from renewable resources. Today, the primary feedstock for U.S. ethanol production is the starch found in corn. Other renewable feedstocks include cheese whey, an assortment of grains, and wood wastes. Cellulose-to-ethanol conversion technologies are in development. For more info see the AFDC Cellulosic page.

  4. Ethanol is biodegradable and much less of a spill threat to surface and ground water than petroleum spills.After the tragic explosion and sinking of the Bow Mariner off the coast of Virginia in February 2004, U.S. Coast Guard officials noted the cargo of 3.2 million gallons of industrial ethanol had dissipated quickly and did not pose an environmental threat to humans or marine life.

To learn more about fuel economy, greenhouse gas scores, and air pollution scores for individual vehicles, go to the U.S. Department of Energy/U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's on-line Fuel Economy Guide. You can search for E85-fueled vehicles by selecting "flexible-fueled vehicles" in the "Select Vehicle Type" pull-down menu. Once you are there, select individual vehicles to get fuel economy, greenhouse gas, and air pollution details.