Related To Story
|
E85 Gas Not Easy To Find
POSTED: 5:28 pm CDT May 10,
2007
Gas prices are not showing signs of a dramatic dip anytime soon.According to AAA, a gallon of regular unleaded is currently $3.25. That is compared to $2.85 one month ago.The prices have drivers looking for cheaper alternatives.
The fuel blend E85 is selling for about $2.90 a gallon, but finding it is not so easy.E85 is an ethanol and gasoline mix that gets about 25 percent less mileage per gallon but burns cleaner than regular unleaded and right now is more than 30 cents cheaper.For people looking to save money, that might seem like a great deal, but finding a gas station that sells it isn't easy.Robert Settimi bought his car last year for a specific reason, the environment. The flexfuel vehicle uses E85 gas, which burns cleaner.At the time, that was about all he was looking for, but now that gas is selling for well over $3, and E85 sells for about $2.90, he is also looking to save money."It's kind of frustrating that it's compatible, this car is with E85, yet I've never had a chance to use it," Settimi said.Settimi lives in Brookfield near 131st and Burleigh streets, but the nearest e85 station is more than seven miles away at 41st Street and Fond du Lac Avenue.Right now, there are only 67 E85 stations in Wisconsin. Only six of those are in Milwaukee, and there are none in Waukesha CountyDennis Trieglaff, the owner of Dennis' Mobile in Brookfield, said right now it's just too expensive to add E85."You have to have a separate dispenser and a separate tank and to do that they tell me, it's about $200,000," Trieglaff said.Gov. Jim Doyle said he is trying to add more E85 pumps.His new budget proposal calls for a tax break for gas stations that put in E85 pumps. His plan would add 400 new pumps across Wisconsin.Right now, there are nearly 30 different car and truck models from five auto manufactures that run on E85.To find out which vehicles use E85 and where to find gas stations that have it, visit http://e85vehicles.com/e85-wisconsin.htm
Copyright 2007 by WISN.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.











