RSS
August 12, 2008 | Jim Lane | Comments 0

EPA to crack down on “overblending” of ethanol: up to E20 marketed as E10; non flex-fuel cars at risk

The Environmental Protection Agency said that it will increase efforts to police overblending of ethanol beyond the 10 percent limit allowed for non-flex fuel enabled vehicles.

“We believe some retailers are either taking inadequate precautions to assure that fuel containing greater than 10% ethanol is not dispensed into motor vehicles and engines certified for gasoline only — or are selling fuel labeled as ‘gasoline’ that actually contains greater than 10% ethanol in violation of the Clean Air Act,” the EPA said.

Kiplinger reports that an Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers study determined that average blends are  at 11.6% for premium gasoline and 11.1% for regular, and said that overblending has been spotted in more than a half-dozen states.  Tennessee has found concentrations of 12-13 percent.

A background report on E10, E20 and E30 is here.

A background report on E85 is here.

Entry Information

Filed Under: Policy

Related Stories


  • Flex-fuel vehicles account for 86 percent of 2007 Brazilian car sales; 4.6 million flex-fuel cars on road
  • 86 percent of all cars sold in Brazil in 2007 were ethanol enabled. The registration of 2 million cars in 2007 takes the total of cars running on ethanol blends or pure E100 to 4.6 million. Brazil now...
  • Rogue ethanol customers in Minnesota blending above E10 in non-flex fuel cars, says paper
  • In Minnesota, the Star Tribune reports on a growing number of Minnesotans who are blending ethanol above 10 percent in non-flex fuel cars, to save money or support US energy independence. The US EPA r...
  • E15, E20 for non-flex fuel cars? Study finds no increase in tailpipe emissions, increased catalytic converter risk
  • In Washington, the Department of Energy released a study that concluded that the use of E15 or E20 blends in non-flex fuel vehicles would not create additional tailpipe emissions. However, the study c...
  • US state governments buying flex-fuel cars to avoid using…alternative fuels; exploiting loophole in federal law that requires alt energy vehicles, but not alt energy fuels
  • Using a loophole in federal law, states are buying flex-fuel cars in order to avoid using alternative fuels. More than 2,200 cars and light trucks have been purchased by the New Jersey state govern...
  • Thailand E85 tax incentive confusion has stymied flex-fuel car makers planning: ethanol glut looms as E85 takeoff delayed
  • In Thailand, observers say that the government needs to clarify the excise tax that will be imposed on E85, so that manufacturers can plan production volumes of flex-fuel cars, to avoid an ethanol glu...
  • GM Latin America exec says that using E85 generates the same carbon savings as CAFE standards, saves automakers $100 billion
  • Robin Walker-Lee, VP and General Counsel of General Motors Latin America, told attendees of the Americas Conference in Miami that using E85 generates the same carbon savings as CAFE standards, and wou...

    RSSPost a Comment  |  Trackback URL

    You must be logged in to post a comment.