Disaster(s) Waiting To Happen -- E15

Updates

July 8, 2011: Witnesses tell House panel E15 may be a mistake.

July 6, 2011: I posted the original link last month, and it looks like I was right on target. GM is not happy with E15 .... not only that, the company, referred to as "Obama Motors" or "Government Motors" was the only major automaker that had not responded to Congressional queries on automakers' position on E15 (which probably doesn't surprise folks).

General Motors Co. caught flak Tuesday from [Congress] for not replying to his questions about the potential problems of allowing more ethanol in regular gasoline ahead of a House subcommittee hearing Thursday.

On Wednesday, GM issued its response – and made clear it’s not happy with the Obama administration’s effort to promote so-called E15, which is 15% ethanol.

GM , in a letter dated Wednesday, joined other major auto makers in warning that using E15 in pre-2001 cars that weren’t designed for it could cause engine or fuel system damage that wouldn’t be covered by the vehicle’s warranty.

The Wall Street Journal article goes on to say that automakers are also concerned about the lack of safeguards at the pump where E15 would be dispensed next to E10 and ethanol-free gasoline. 

Original Post

Link here.

The EPA has finalized the requirements for pump labels on E15 which contain more than 10 and up to 15 percent ethanol, in an effort to ensure that the gasoline blend is properly labeled and used once it enters the marketplace.

The label is orange and black and must be present on fuel pumps that dispense E15, containing information about which vehicles can use the gasoline blend. The label will include a warning to motorists with cars older than 2001 and to those that drive motorcycles and watercraft or that are purchasing gasoline for lawnmowers or chainsaws.

My hunch is that no one in his or her right mind will use E15 for anything. If it's not safe for most vehicles, and all boats, and small motors, already on the road, is the average guy going to trust it in his 2012 Lexus?  Wait for the lawsuits. It will be interesting if retail service stations will even offer it a year from now.

It's going to have to be really, really inexpensive compared to non-E15 to even stand a chance. I won't touch it.