The University of North Dakota Energy & Environmental Research Centre (EERC) and the Minnesota Centre for Automotive Research (MnCAR) conducted the research using four 2007 model vehicles: a Toyota Camry, a Ford Fusion and two Chevrolet Impalas, one flex-fuel and one non-flex-fuel. Researchers used the EPA Highway Fuel Economy Test (HWFET) to examine a range of ethanol-petrol blends from straight Tier 2 petrol up to 85 percent ethanol. All of the vehicles got better mileage with ethanol blends than the ethanol’s energy content would predict, and three out of four actually travelled farther on a mid-level ethanol blend than on unleaded petrol.

“I applaud the American Coalition for Ethanol for taking action and studying the impact of intermediate blends of ethanol. I am encouraged by the findings of this study, which should benefit the federal regulatory process for approving higher blends of ethanol,” said U.S. Senator John Thune (R-SD). “Intermediate blends of ethanol will offer consumers more choices at the pump, reduce dependence on foreign oil, and benefit our domestic ethanol industry for years to come."

In addition to the favourable fuel economy findings, the research provides strong evidence that standard, non-flexfuel vehicles can operate on ethanol blends beyond 10 percent. The three non-flex-fuel vehicles tested operated on levels as high as E65 before any engine fault codes were displayed. Emissions results for the ethanol blends were also favourable for nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and non-methane organic gases, showing an especially significant reduction in CO2 emissions for each vehicle’s “optimal” ethanol blend (E20 for the flex-fuel Chevy, E30 for the Toyota and Ford, E40 for the non-flex Chevy).

“These studies show that moderate 20-30 percent ethanol blends can reduce air pollution, improve petrol mileage, and save drivers money in the most popular cars on the road today,” said Brett Hulsey, president of Better Environmental Solutions, an environmental health consulting firm. “Moderate ethanol blends are home grown in our country, can be delivered with existing pumps to current vehicles, and cost less than petrol. Ethanol lowers CO2 emissions 20 percent from petrol, making it one of our most effective greenhouse gas reduction programs currently in place.”