My Last Fill Up
EcoSmart 5/04/08
E85 - 3.29 / Gas - 3.59
 
National Average

E85 - 2.96 / Gas 3.55
National data from e85prices.com on 5/04/08
                                                  
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Why I Use Ethanol:

I use E85 because it reduces my foreign oil consumption. I drive an 07 Grand Marquis it is a rear wheel drive with a big V8 and an ethanol/gas hog. Hopefully my next vehicle will be a Hybrid/E85 or Hybrid and some type of new alternative fuel. To accurately demonstrate the positive effect of E85 I will compare my 07 Grand Marquis to an 07 Prius which is the highest rated hybrid at the time I purchased my Marquis. Keep in mind that my vehicle is a guzzler and there are much more efficient Flex Fuel Vehicles on the market. 

Grand Marquis on E85 uses 6.2 barrels of oil for every 15,000 miles or 1 barrel for every 2418 miles (13 MPG average).
The Prius uses 7.4 barrels for every 15,000 miles or 1 barrel for every 2027 miles (46.5 MPG average).


FYI: My Grand Marquis on gas would use 19 barrels of oil every 15,000 miles or 1 barrel every 789 miles (18 MPG average).

These figures are averages from fueleconomy.gov which has specs for most vehicles. My big roomy six seater fuel guzzling Marquis gets almost a full 400 more miles per barrel of oil than a Prius. I save almost a barrel of oil for every 1,000 miles by choosing to use E85 over gas. On E85 I average exactly 13 MPG. I'm sure a lot of Prius owners average more than 46.5 MPG and I think hybrids are awesome especially the Prius. However I do feel that hybrids encourage environmental resolutions and enhanced mpg. Where as flex fuel vehicles encourage alternative fuels and alternative fuel delivery systems.

Stop giving Flex Fuel Vehicles and E85 a bad rap!

This is a recent video I shot. I discuss E85 and my feelings about the negative publicity it has been receiving.

                                      
How many barrels of oil I have consumed:
This is an ongoing record of how many barrels of oil my vehicle has consumed. I live close to work so I don't put on miles very quickly. According to the fueleconomy.gov my vehicle consumes 1 barrel of oil every 2418 miles on E85 and 1 barrel every 789 on gas.

10/31/07 (1300 miles) -
On E85 I have used a 1/2 barrel - Gas would have been 1 3/4 barrels. (saved 1 1/4 barrels)
02/07/08 (2418 miles) - On E85 I have used 1 barrel of oil - Gas would have been 3 barrels. (saved 2 barrels)


                                                                   Las Vegas E85 Stations

5/04/08
- FYI:
I  filled up at the EcoSmart on NLV Blvd today. I had a thirty cent gap between E85 & Gas that is the largest difference I have had the pleasure of enjoying. Usually I get a twenty to twenty five cent difference. 

Note: If this is the first time going to one of these stations contact them to verify. I drove across town one time to find out the chain had discontinued E85 the month prior.

 Town Center Grocer
6000 Sky Point Dr.
Las Vegas , NV 89130
702-839-1314

Hotspot
4708 W Charleston Blvd.
Las Vegas , NV 89102
702-294-0101


Flamingo Stop
8615 W Flamingo
Las Vegas , NV 89147
702-367-3933


Rollout Edition
43701 W Sahara Ave
Las Vegas , NV 89102
702-876-2886

EcoSmart (Stop and Shop)
3025 North Las Vegas Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89030
702-649-4449

Champ

1600 North MLK Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89106
702-558-6278

Town Square
6085 S Rainbow Boulevard
Las Vegas, NV 89118
702-227-8889

Lucky Stop
8816 South Eastern Avenue
Las Vegas, NV 89123
702-808-0858

Blue Diamond Service
12325 State Highway 160
Las Vegas, NV 89004
702-875-4500

S & K Food Mart
1625 North Lamb Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89115
702-453-8896

Rebel Oil
4111 Paradise Road
Las Vegas, NV 89169
702-794-0633

Trop Stop
4885 W Tropicana Avenue
Las Vegas, NV 89103
702-253-7101

Family Express I
2014 West Ann Road
North LV, NV 89031
702-636-1553

Family Express II
1195 East Pyle Avenue
Las Vegas, NV 89183
702-616-3932

Bell's Gas
720 W Owens Ave
Las Vegas, NV 89106
702-642-0269


My Las Vegas E85 Fill Up History:
08/03/07:  E85 (2.66)  Gas (2.79)
08/18/07:  E85 (2.58)  Gas (2.69)
09/01/07:  E85 (2.54)  Gas (2.67)
09/15/07:  E85 (2.54)  Gas (2.69)
09/29/07:  E85 (2.54)  Gas (2.69)
10/21/07:  E85 (2.65)  Gas (2.87)
11/10/07:  E85 (2.84)  Gas (3.09)
11/24/07:  E85 (2.84)  Gas (3.09)
12/02/07:  E85 (2.84)  Gas (3.09)
12/15/07:  E85 (2.80)  Gas (3.02)
01/06/08:  E85 (2.80)  Gas (3.05)
01/21/08:  E85 (2.77)  Gas (2.94)
02/02/08: E85 (2.71)  Gas (2.95)
02/16/08: E85 (2.73)  Gas (2.93)
03/02/08: E85 (2.91)  Gas (3.09)
03/16/08: E85 (3.05)  Gas (3.25)
03/30/08: E85 (3.06)  Gas (3.29)
04/14/08: E85 (3.20)  Gas (3.45)
05/04/08: E85 (3.29)  Gas (3.59)


Alternative Fuel Links:

e85prices.com - E85 pricing in your local area
fueleconomy.gov
- Find out how much greenhouse gases and barrels of oil your car uses per year
National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition - A non profit advocacy group for the use of E85
Alternative Fuel Station Locator  - U.S. Department Of Energy alternative fuels station locator
U.S. Department Of Energy - Renewable energy site
FFVFinder
- If you are looking to buy or sale and alternative fuel (FFV, Bio diesel, etc) vehicle check out FFV Finder.
General Motors Alternative Fuel - The official GM alternative fuel page
Ford Motor Company Flex Fuel - The official Ford FFV page
American Lung Association - E85 page
Wikipedia E85 - Information page
Wikipedia Cellulosic Ethanol - Information page
Renewable Fuel Association
- The RFA has a host of information and statistics relating to Renewable Fuels
Aptera
- New electric vehicle costing 26-29K getting 120 plus miles per gallon due to hit the streets the end of 2008 beginning 2009


Alternative Fuel Video's
   
A Great E85 Video from
www.LiveGreenGoYellow.com
 A good GM video explaining E85.  A GM video explaining what effect ethanol has on the food supply.
    
An incredible 4 minute documentary on the ethanol manufacturing process from
www.youtube.com/brentmadison
  Popular Mechanics 6 minute video on the Aptera. The Aptera is an electric car  due to hit the CA streets late 2008.   www.aptera.com   



Recent Facts From The Renewable Fuel Association (RFA):
In 2007:
U.S. ethanol production helped support the creation of 238,541 new jobs, more than 46,000 of which coming in the manufacturing sector;
U.S. ethanol production increased the Gross Domestic Product by $47.6 billion;
U.S. ethanol production increased household incomes by $12.3 billion;
U.S. ethanol production generated $8.2 billion in new tax revenue for federal, state and local governments; and,
U.S. production and use of 6.5 billion gallons of ethanol in 2007 displaced the need for 228.2 million barrels of imported oil and an estimated value of $16.5 billion.
 
                                                 
                                                 Any questions or additional info please feel free to drop me a line nick@kicktheoilhabit.com