Conversion from gas to E85 leads to 50% drop in fuel pump sales

In Pennsylvania, fuel marketer Sheetz is recording a 50% drop in sales at pumps converted from gasoline to E85. Sheetz spent more than $150,000 this year on E85 conversion at three locations in Western Pennsylvania.

The news comes as GM launches its E85 Fall Fuel for Thought Tour. Sheetz is participating in the promotion. The Tour picks up from the E85 Days of Summer Tour, which was an 85-day promotional tour for the GM flex-fuel vehicles. GM continues to push hard on promotion of E85 and flex-fuel vehicles as an alternative to the imposition of stricter CAFE (corporate average fuel economy) standards which is under consideration for inclusion in this year’s energy bill. GM’s position is that adoption of E85 will achieve the same emissions result as revisions to CAFE standards, but result in far lower costs for automakers.

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