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 Fueling
America’s Future
Flexible Fuel Vehicles and E85
Chrysler Group and E85
The Chrysler Group has a long-standing
commitment to help improve our nation’s
environment and reduce our country’s dependence
on petroleum. To achieve these goals, Chrysler
Group has been a leader in producing Flexible
Fuel Vehicles (FFVs) that run on E85. In fact,
with nearly 1.5 million FFVs sold since 1998 –
representing 10 percent of all of its vehicles
sold since then – Chrysler Group has sold a
greater percentage of FFVs than any other auto
manufacturer.
Ethanol – Where It Comes From
Ethanol is essentially beverage alcohol that can
be produced from a variety of sources, but
mostly from sugar can and corn. Corn is the
predominant ethanol crop in the U.S..
Groundbreaking new processes are being perfected
to convert such diverse items as wheat, straw,
and sawdust – items currently thrown away – into
ethanol. These new processes are several times
more efficient than the already efficient corn
ethanol production in use today.
Chrysler Group Flexible fuels vehicles:
Chrysler Sebring, Chrysler Sebring
Convertible, Chrysler Aspen, Dodge Caravan
Ram 1500, Dodge Stratus, Dodge Durango, Jeep
Commander, and Jeep Grand Cherokee
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What
is E85? The ethanol in E85:
- Is
renewable - produced by US farmers from renewable
crops so we need never run out
- Is
domestically produced - current ethanol production
reduces the need to import 46.7 million barrels of
oil a year
-
Lowers tailpipe emissions of reactive hydrocarbons,
carbon monoxide and particulates, and contributes to
cleaner air for everyone. It also reduces overall
emissions of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas
-
Poses less risk than other fuel additives to ground
water in the event of underground tank or pipeline
leakage
E85
Challenges
-
Fuel economy - ethanol contains less energy than
the equivalent amount of gasoline. Fuel economy is
as much as 25-30 percent lower with E85.
Consequently, drivingrange is reduced
-
Infrastructure - there are less than 1,000 E85
stations in the US versus 170,000 gasoline stations
-
Cost - due to the lower number of E85 stations,
there is less competition than for gasoline
On
Balance
Less dependence on foreign oil and a better environment
are items of primary importance. The advantages of E85
to America go well beyond the price per gallon.
Click on the links below for more information:
National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition
Discover the Alternatives - Auto
Alliance
Clean Air Choice - American Lung
Association
American Coalition for Ethanol
What is E85? - Wikipedia
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Flexible Fuel Vehicle FAQs
FFVs - Flexible Fuel Vehicles are designed to run on
straight gasoline, e85 or any mixture of the two. If no E85
stations are nearby, it doesn't matter - you can fill up with
straight gasoline like any other vehicle.
Components - What Makes an FFV - An FFV features specific
components so it can operate on fuel with high ethanol
concentrations. Ethanol can be corrosive to certain fuel system
materials, so an FFV uses some or all of the following: a
different fuel tank, fuel pump, fuel rail, fuel injectors and
fuel lines. The FFV engine features a specially programmed
engine computer to calibrate how much fuel needs to be delivered
to the engine for optimal performance and emission control.
Retrofitting - Because of the complex nature of the FFV
components, you cannot retrofit older vehicles to run on E85.
You also cannot put E85 into a non-FFV because it may damage the
vehicle's fuel system.
Driving an FFV - Whether running on straight gasoline or
E85, there should be no noticeable performance difference when
driving down the highway, or even when towing. The only
differences you will notice when operating on E85 are up to
25-30 percent less fuel economy and the possibility of harder
starting during cold weather.
Service - Typically, there are no special maintenance
procedures on intervals for FFVs. As with any vehicle, it is
important to consult your Owner's Manual for further details. |
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