Busting the 5 Myths of Ethanol: Myth #5

Every time an automobile commercial comes on T.V., a person can almost guarantee that the commercial will mention the vehicle’s fuel economy. Some get 24 miles per gallon, while others may get up to 40 miles per gallon. There is no doubt that a vehicle’s fuel economy is important, especially in times like today when we are paying over $3.50 just for a gallon of regular gasoline. In other words, everyone wants to get their “bang for their buck” when it comes to buying vehicles and fuel.

Talking about a vehicle’s fuel economy leads us to our final myth about ethanol, which is that automobile’s get lower gas mileage when using ethanol. You may be surprised but this myth is actually true. Studies have shown that vehicle’s that run on E85 may get up to 20% less mileage than vehicles that run on regular gasoline. This is not the case in all vehicles, and there are many factors that will change the fuel mileage such as the driver, the weather conditions, excessive braking or acceleration, driving uphill, etc. However, when looking at the price of gasoline compared to E85, E85 is priced up to 25% less expensive than regular gasoline. For many areas across the country, the fuel economy deficit is actually recovered by the cheaper fuel costs. As ethanol prices go down, E85 will become much cheaper than it is today, allowing consumers to spend less at the pump.

Research has also shown that ethanol can improve engine performance. Ethanol has a higher octane rating than gasoline, improving engine performance while also increasing power. If engines are downsized and E85 continues to become cheaper, it would lead to cost savings for the consumer. This in turn would make E85 the more favorable fuel compared to the other fuels that are being used today, even though it may get less mileage compared to gasoline.

We have finally busted the 5 myths about ethanol. As a person can see, ethanol is a true alternative fuel. It not only burns cleaner, but it is a cheaper fuel compared to regular gasoline. We have proven that 1) ethanol does NOT take more energy to produce than it yields 2) ethanol production does NOT reduce our food supply 3) GASOLINE produces MORE greenhouse gases than ethanol 4) ethanol requires LESS water now than it did several years ago and 5) although cars using ethanol get less fuel mileage, it is recovered by the CHEAPER costs of ethanol. These five busted myths prove that using ethanol will not only benefit us as consumers, but will also benefit the environment. Another perk about using ethanol is that it supports our own economy, instead of sending our money overseas to countries that don’t necessarily support the United States. Now that you know the truth about ethanol, feel free to start using more of it. You’re not just using a better fuel, but you're using a fuel made right here in America!

To learn more about Nebraska Corn Farmers or the ethanol industry, be sure the visit the Nebraska Corn Board’s website! Also be sure to check out the ethanol information video at Youtube!