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Are flex-fuel vehicles making a comeback?

Ethanol leaders are focused on bringing nationwide E15 to consumers, but the E85 blend is starting to get more attention.

Troy Bredenkamp with the Renewable Fuels Association tells Brownfield that nationwide E15 has the potential to cut foreign oil imports in half, and expanding E85 would further increase ethanol and corn consumption. “Chevrolet in particular has started to make some of their models that use that very small, I believe it’s the 1.3 liter motor and the models that utilize that engine, they’ve started to make those flex-fuel vehicles standard again in 2026.”

Bredenkamp says the California market sells more E85 than all other states combined and its low carbon fuel standard is bringing demand for new flex fuel vehicles. “I don’t know if Chevrolet and General Motors saw an opportunity there to add flex-fuel vehicles back into the marketplace, but we’re encouraging the OEM’s to do just that. Don’t look for a credit or a financial incentive to do that, just look at the marketplace.”

Bredenkamp says the RFA is talking to other automakers, too. “And we’ve told both Toyota and Honda straight up, if you’re selling vehicles in California, you should really consider those to be flex-fuel vehicles because they need FFV’s.”

Bredenkamp says that manufacturer incentives went away during the Obama Administration, and he’s hopeful Chevrolet’s new flex-fuel vehicle option is just the beginning.

AUDIO: Troy Bredenkamp discusses nationwide E15, flex-fuel vehicles and other issues with Brownfield’s Larry Lee.