Will the 2009 Hybrids be E85 compatable ?

[scottfisher]

I know u loose about 20 % in mileage by burning it, but would like to have the option to burn either and analyze it out and find if saving 50 cents per gallon is worth it.

[FEH2009]

I know u loose about 20 % in mileage by burning it, but would like to have the option to burn either and analyze it out and find if saving 50 cents per gallon is worth it.

Unfortunately not. They are working on this and may be available in a subsequent year.

[billyk24]

You can run your unmodified Escape Hybrid on E30 without a loss of mileage. I just did that in May. You will have to add E85 to your gasoline and 'mix-it" so the solution is approximately E30. Ethanol burns cleaner than gasoline. There is research showing a blend of E20-E30 is the sweet spot of maximizing mileage while reducing cost at the pump.

[gocargo]

I know u loose about 20 % in mileage by burning it, but would like to have the option to burn either and analyze it out and find if saving 50 cents per gallon is worth it.

 

Today's figures of $4 for 87 octane and $3.50 e85 and using your figure of 20% milage loss with e85, then increase the cost of e85 by 20% and you get an equalivant figure of $4.17, so you will be loosing .17 per gallon using e85.

 

I spent some time reading the fueleconomy.gov website comparing E85 vehicles mileage and determined that from a cost basis, that e85 is only viable if you live in the mid-west where e85 costs $2.85 per gallon. Furthermore, you loose more than 20% economy with e85 according to the gov website, so it has to be more than 20% less costly than 87 octane to break even.

Edited June 23, 2008 by gocargo

[billyk24]

I have run my stock Escape Hybrid on several tanks of E30 and have experienced almost identical mileage readings as if I was using 87 octane. My cost per mile with E30 is cheaper than 87 octane. No, I have not experienced any abnormal engine malfunctions.

 

I did find a report from one of the twenty 2008 E85 Escape Hybrids stating a fuel mileage of nearly 31mpg in the New York area of Lake Seneca. This would be on two lane state and county highways with elevation changes of several hundred feet. My understanding is Ford sent out these 20 E85 Escape hybrid in June 2007 for a two year "research period". This would indicate the 2010 model year might have E85 Escape Hybrids available for retail purchase.

[Walt]

Today's figures of $4 for 87 octane and $3.50 e85 and using your figure of 20% milage loss with e85, then increase the cost of e85 by 20% and you get an equalivant figure of $4.17, so you will be loosing .17 per gallon using e85.

 

Good point!

 

I am surprised how short sighted people can be. It isn't just the price per gallon at the pump.

 

Plus, as some people are all slowly realizing, the costs of e85 aren't limited to just at the pump. Because e85 production is effecting food prices too. So we are paying more, a lot more, at the grocery store for e85 too.

[billyk24]

When I look at a box of cereal and then a bushel of corn, there is no way the cereal contains more than a few cents worth of corn. It is shortsighted not to realize the soaring oil cost has a greater effect on food cost than ethanol. This country in 2007 grew more, consumed more and EXPORTED more corn than ever before while STILL paying farmers not to grow crops.

 

No, I am not losing 20% in fuel efficiency in using E30. It is almost identical to what octance 87 provides.

[GaryG]

No, I am not losing 20% in fuel efficiency in using E30. It is almost identical to what octance 87 provides.

 

Billy, are you sure you can compare straight 87 octane to any ethanol mixture? The reason I ask is I know I was getting straight 87 octane for years in my '05 FEH here in So. FL. Any time I got ethanol, I knew it right away according to my SG within 3 miles.

 

Now that Florida has forced ethanol on us, I have seen no sign the computer will adjust to the lower energy of ethanol in my '05 FEH. Even though I have a first place in the Hybridfest MPG Challenge with E-10 at 61.8 MPG, I think that record would have been beat by at least by 10mpg on straight 87 octane gas.

 

It is my strong opinion big oil knows this and wants to water down our gas and mileage with this crap ethanol. Even my Ford workshop manual says ethanol will screw-up the long term fuel trim maps. E-30 will void your warranty Billy, don't go by PMSman1.

 

My conclusion of ethanol is it's a plan by big oil to make us spend more money on gas!

Edited June 24, 2008 by GaryG

[billyk24]

I'm going with ethanol when I can obtain it at a price that enables me to spend less per mile than straight 87 octane. I based my decision upon a variety of sources, not just one person. At this time, my personal data with this fuel has been positive with the 20-30% levels.

[GaryG]

I'm going with ethanol when I can obtain it at a price that enables me to spend less per mile than straight 87 octane. I based my decision upon a variety of sources, not just one person. At this time, my personal data with this fuel has been positive with the 20-30% levels.

 

I don't want to seem rude Billy, but ethanol has been nothing but high prices and much lower MPG for me here. My point was, is it possible you never ran straight 87 octane gas long enough for the KAM to properly set the Long Term Fuel Maps to see the difference?. After recently learning that Port Everglades had to modify their storage facility to handle ethanol, I knew this must have been the reason why most of my fuel had been straight gas in the past. If gas tankers are transporting straight gas and ethanol mix in the States where you buy gas, all your gas could be contaminated with some amounts of ethanol. A few years ago, my kid drove my FEH up to Orlando and added about 5 gallons of E-10 to a half full tank. This was enough ethanol to screw up my mileage for 3 tanks after. I've never heard you say you have experience the drop in MPG for three tanks, and John claims his vehicle adjust in a few miles. This tells me that most likely all of the gas up north is contaminated to some degree with ethanol.

 

Big Oil has added ethanol here in Florida now without any discount in prices. Who benefited? Northern Florida didn't get their fuel from Port Everglades, but their fuel was contaminated with ethanol with no signs on the pumps. It appears Port Everglades was more than likely one of the last Ports to be modified for ethanol in the mainland US.

 

If I'm right, you should buy what ever is cheapest, because your going to get ethanol even when you buy straight gas. Also, many of the older vehicle are experiencing idle and starting problems. My Explorer has started having idle problems also. My auto broker's Toyota was having problems starting and he had to have the O2 sensors cleaned. This change to ethanol from straight gas is not only affecting my mileage, it's causing other problems.

 

The '09 I just ordered will change from O2 sensors to a Lamda (sp) sensor, so I'm hoping this will solve some of the problems with ethanol in the FEH.