March 9, 200620 yr Well I was just reading GM.com's news page to realize they are really pushing for vehicles to use Ethonal. General Motors Promotes Greater E85 Consumer Awareness, Use In Minnesota and I started to think. In order to dispense Ethonal a Gas station would require new tanks and new fuel lines. Everything would need to be renewed for the different fuel. So this could cost several thousand if not hundreds of thousands per station. For how long would this fuel sorce be in use, if GM suspects Fuel Cells are on the horizon? How many years will the gas station have to make pennys per gallon to pay off this fuel switch? will the investment be worth while, if after 5-10 years we are trying to switch again? I hope GM thinks things out correctly. has anyone thought about the problems with switching to E85 for the long term of the gas stations?
March 10, 200620 yr It's more for image than anything else... And RIGHTFULLY so IMO... Ford should have a similar campaign. Most people don't even know what E85 is or that the domestics have been producing these cars for years. I recently asked a co-worker, who drives a Taurus and aspires to own an Outback, if she had ever ran E85 in her car. She said "What are you talking about?" I said; "See that emblem on your fender? That means Flex Fuel Vehicle and means that you can safely run E85." She was clueless... It's just YET ANOTHER technology that GM and Ford have been screwed out of their credit for IMO.
March 10, 200620 yr Gasoline/E85 cars will be around much longer than 5-10 more years, so it's worth it, IMO.
March 11, 200620 yr Author Gasoline/E85 cars will be around much longer than 5-10 more years, so it's worth it, IMO. but realistically... if they are trying to get a new fuel into development... today, and 10 years from now, they want to try again to do a full switch... financially when will the gas stations catch up to the cost of the first investment?
March 11, 200620 yr Agreed... I'm in LA and the closest E85 station is in San Diego. Really? Where? I checked some website and it showed none in So Cal, just up north at the national labs and Berkeley.
March 11, 200620 yr Why do the stations have to have different tanks/fuel lines? Just for the added capacity as opposed to having it instead of something else?
March 11, 200620 yr Author Really? Where? I checked some website and it showed none in So Cal, just up north at the national labs and Berkeley. according to E85fuel.com these are the only places in California that sell or are about to sell the stuff... but i think the top three arent avalible to the public...Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory "Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory -- One Cycl Berkeley, CA 94720 Lawrence Livermore National Lab Lawrence Livermore National Lab Livermore, CA 94551 Vandenberg Air Force Base 1705 Air Field Road Lompoc, CA 93437 805-606-6867 Regional Transportation Center (RTC) 4001 El Cajon Blvd San Diego, CA 92105 619-521-2469 Why do the stations have to have different tanks/fuel lines? Just for the added capacity as opposed to having it instead of something else? they have to change the tanks and the fuel lines becaues E85 can eat away at basic fuel lines that support gasoline... its the same reason why most cars cant handle E85, its not that the engine wont support it, its just longgevity the stuff will destroy all the plumbing... Edited March 11, 200620 yr by Newbiewar
March 12, 200620 yr they have to change the tanks and the fuel lines becaues E85 can eat away at basic fuel lines that support gasoline... its the same reason why most cars cant handle E85, its not that the engine wont support it, its just longgevity the stuff will destroy all the plumbing... I thought that might play into it, too, but wasn't sure if the stuff at the stations was "beefier" enough that it wouldn't matter. *shrug* Though to have the stuff in addition to the regular, it might not be a matter of replacing tanks & pumps so much as adding an additional setup. Still not cheap, but I think overall it'd still be worth it, especially if almost all new cars can handle E85 a few years from now.
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