More Ethanol in Gasoline? Automakers say it will "Damage" Cars

Some 54 ethanol producers, grouped together under Growth Energy’s banner, are carrying the torch for dramatically increasing the amount of ethanol in pump gasoline from 10 to 15 percent. Will they succeed? There are technical and political arguments to be made on both sides, but for now the momentum seems to be against fast-tracking higher ethanol blends.

Charles Territo, a spokesman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, says the 11 Alliance members are “very concerned” that what it called “mid-level blends” could “severely damage millions of vehicles on the road designed only to operate on blends of up to 10 percent ethanol. We believe additional testing is necessary before a decision is made by the EPA.” Even adding small amounts of ethanol to the blend, he said, “could do exponential damage to a majority of vehicles on the road.”
Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis takes strong exception, of course. “Multiple studies by government agencies and academic institutions, conducted on more than 100 vehicles, 85 engine types and 33 fuel-dispensing units using blends from E15 up to E85 all point to the same thing: E15 has no adverse impact on an engine’s performance, maintenance or emissions. Automakers who claim that E15 will damage their vehicles should produce their scientific studies to prove that contention.”

BNet