On the surface, Flex Fuel sounds like a great idea. Certain cars that are designed for it can run on a variety of blends of gasoline and ethanol. OK, we all know gasoline, but what is ethanol then? It is a type of alcohol derived from crops like corn or sugarcane. Ethanol fuel came about as a response to oil shortages, starting in the 1970s, and eventually became an important market for grain farmers.
Flex Fuel pros By stretching the amount of actual gasoline used, Flex Fuel seems like the perfect solution for extending a finite resource and reducing dependence on foreign oil. And since the ethanol was derived from renewable biomass, it was originally seen as a green solution as well. Flex Fuel cons It may seem like a no-brainer to use E85 if you have a Flex Fuel vehicle in times of high gas prices. However, it should be noted that ethanol reduces fuel economy by as much as 25% to 30%. Depending on the vehicle's mpg rating and the local price of E85, drivers will have to determine for themselves whether the reduced fuel economy negates any potential savings at the pump.
Another study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that after taking into account the increased clearing of land to grow corn for ethanol production, the environment would be better off if cars just burned straight gasoline. And then there's the fact that we'd be better off using the resources corn takes up to grow crops that feed actual people.
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