E85 - the future for fuel?

With the price of petrol climbing to new heights - many auto makers and consumers are looking for cheaper alternatives to fuel their drive. Electric cars and hybrid vehicles have certainly become a popular option with 1.8 million Toyota Prius cars on the road in June 2010 worldwide.



Meanwhile, another fuel alternative that has been gaining some traction, especially in overseas markets, has been E85, a blend of petrol and up to 85% ethanol - it has finally come to Australian shores. This month, E85 went on sale at a few dozen Caltex stations in east Australian capital cities in conjunction with the launch of the first Holden Commodore models designed to run on it.



What is E85?



For many concerned about "peak oil" and the rising prices of crude oil, E85 is an appealing alternative. Traditional petroleum is made from crude oil and fossil fuels, which are a limited resource - new oil wells must always be drilled as old ones run dry. Meanwhile, the ethanol component of the E85 blend is made from "renewable resources" - it can be sourced from common crops, which can always be replanted.
As a result, E85 has become common in the Midwestern states of the US where corn is in surplus, while countries like Ireland can produce their blends from by products of other processes, such as cheese making.



However, while many tout the environmental benefits of using ethanol and other "biofuels" over petroleum, others cite concerns of food shortages should essential crops be used to meet current fuel demands; the process is rather resource intensive with research estimating that it takes about 3.17 kg of corn to produce a single litre of ethanol fuel.



E85 in Australia



Until recently, only a few high end vehicle models (including the Bentley and Saab) in Australia had the ability to run on E85 fuel. This month, Holden released its upgraded Commodore to be ethanol-capable, officially taking E85 into the mainstream. The new upgraded vehicles can run on pure petrol or any blend of up to 85% ethanol. Meanwhile, Caltex stations will be rolling out the blend at its pumps, with a guaranteed 20 cent savings on the litre over traditional petrol.



Ethanol production capabilities in Australia remain comparatively lower, with only 3 production sites in the nation. However, because ethanol can potentially be made from any organic matter, the potential of these vehicles is substantial Holden's energy and environment director Richard Marshall told The Australian. Holden is part of a consortium of companies that is currently examining the likelihood of producing fuel from rubbish.



Meanwhile, the ethanol-capable Holden Commodore will be available at your Holden Dealer. Sydney, Melbourne and other capital cities will begin to see more E85 options available at the pump. Holden is expecting ethanol as a fuel alternative to continue to gain popularity in the coming years. Drivers, meanwhile, will have a greater range of vehicles available to them to help sustain their drive.