Automakers scaling back on FFV production.

Just at the time the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is helping America build out a larger infrastructure for flex fuels, U.S. automakers are cutting back on the production of flex fuel vehicles (FFVs) that can use higher blends of American Ethanol.

FFVs are specially designed to run on regular unleaded or any ethanol fuel blend up to 85 percent (E85). Special on-board diagnostics “read” the fuel blend, enabling you to fuel your FFV with E10, E15, E20, E30, E40, E50 or any ethanol blend up to E85, or ordinary unleaded if ethanol-blended fuel is not available.

The automakers say nobody is asking for FFVs, but the truth is that the fuel economy credits automakers receive for manufacturing them are being phased out.

According to Ethanol Retailer, Chrysler Corporation, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Nissan and Toyota all offer flexible fuel engines as standard equipment in certain vehicles – at no additional cost to consumers. Each FFV comes with the same factory warranty as its non-FFV counterpart.

“Losing FFVs means eventually losing the opportunity to purchase higher blends of American Ethanol at the pump,” said Roger Berry, director of market development for the Nebraska Corn Board. “We’ve invested in building the ethanol industry and in expanding the flex fuel infrastructure. We need to make sure that automakers continue to make the vehicles that can use higher levels of clean-burning American Ethanol.”

Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts
 fills up a customer's car with E85
 during a recent promotion at
Sapp Bros. in Omaha

Tell automakers to keep making FFVs!

Visit FlexMyChoice.com to discover more and follow the prompts to make your voice heard.

The Nebraska Corn Board also has pre-addressed postcards for each of America’s automakers, which consumers can simply fill out and mail.  Call 402.471.2676 for your copy.