Features

• E85 ethanol is 15 percent gasoline and 85 percent ethanol alcohol. The gasoline is necessary for the engine to start during cold weather because alcohol alone won't do it.
  
  

Benefits

• With approximately 80 percent fewer potential contaminants than gasoline--in addition to being nontoxic, biodegradable and water-soluble--E85 ethanol is safer for the environment than most fuels.
  
  

Geography

• While E85 is available across most of the country, it can be hard to find in some areas, and there are some places it isn't available at all. It is easiest to find in the states that are large corn producers, such as Iowa and Illinois, while the Northeast and the South have little available.
  
  

Characteristics

• Gasoline produces more energy than ethanol does, so it takes about one-third more ethanol to travel the same distance, but ethanol increases engine performance and efficiency due to its high-octane content.
  
  

Potential

• Most E85 ethanol made in the United States right now comes from corn. Experiments are under way in California using a variety of other ingredients, including sugar cane and switchgrass. These renewable sources of fuel could, in time, make a significant reduction in the nation's dependency on fossil fuels.