E85 eat me...we are being robbed.

So I decided that Victor (yeah, I name my car) might want to try out a different drink.  He's been running like a champ on 87 octane since I got him.  We were on a family trip and down in "south kakalackie" (South Carolina) and their gas is cheap...then I realize they have E85 at the station which is "even cheaper."  I put it in the tank and we drive down.

When we got back I decided to continue the "low price" E85 gas and found a shop in Charlotte off Woodlawn Rd that had it (and about the only place that had it actually).  I proceeded to do two more tank fulls.

Here is the result: it cost me more money.

When you take into account I have to make a special drive over to Charlotte (time / mileage investment), that the price is only around 0.25cents cheaper per gallon, and the mileage reduction is between 4 to 5 miles per gallon...it costs more.  E85 burns longer (reduced efficiency), makes gas have a longer burning curve (any gas in the tank becomes less effective), and thus can reduce gas mileage more than 10%.  There is anecdotal evidence of even higher mileage loss in non Flex Fuel vehicles.  My vehicle is Flex Fuel and the reduction was from around 21mpg to 14.9mpg.  Doing the math I came up with that E85 had to be around 0.30cents cheaper to save me money and taking into account it was "out of my way" to get it, there is zero savings.

Now on to what it is doing to you.  Many pumps now have 10% ethanol.  E10.  This ethanol is reducing YOUR mileage if you use it.  You are burning more gas because it causes gas to have a worse mileage rating. You are paying the same for the product, the same tax per gallon, and being ripped off without even knowing that you are.

Now for some important facts:

1. It can take over 1,700 gallons of water and a gallon of gas to produce one gallon of ethanol.  This increases our dependency on foreign fuels and does not reduce it.
2. When you take into account E10 (and how it is reducing the mileage of "normal" gas) you can see it is a failure in absolute.
3. Corn is mostly used to make ethanol removing a food crop to produce a less than ideal fuel which makes our cars have worse gas mileage and costing us more money.
4. Ethanol would never exist without Government subsidies because it is so cost ineffective.
5. You are NOT being "green" when you use it.  You are taking food out of people's mouth, burning a very inefficient fuel, and falling prey to hype more than taking actual mileage readings and seeing for yourself that you are getting bent over at the pump.  The "cost per gallon" is meaningless when you look at the actual "cost per mile."

So, save yourself and check the label.  Get what you pay for and attempt to stay away from E85 and even the 10% blend as best you can.  Some states have mandated that all gas be mixed with 10% and you can not get away from using this garbage.  Just know in those states you are paying the same (or more) for less mileage.  You are helping to keep this lie alive and allow special interest groups to cause hurt to our environment, usage of a food product as an ineffective fuel, and furthering our dependence on foreign oil.

I hate you E85...because you are a lie that has been dressed up in the "green" idea which is so far from green it is crazy that any of us have fallen for this lie.

WRITE YOUR CONGRESS PERSON.