Is Your Car E15 Fuel-Compatible? Trump Administration Overturns EPA Summer Sale Ban

President Donald Trump announced at a campaign rally in Iowa on Tuesday he had directed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to allow the sale of E15 fuel all year round.

“Today we are unleashing the power of E15 to fuel our country all year long,” Trump said at a campaign rally, which was the decision he teased would be his “big announcement” before he flew to Iowa, the Washington Post reported.

Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday: "Well, I want more industry. I want more energy. I want more, because I don't like $74. It's up to $74. And if I have to do more, whether it's through ethanol or through another means, that's what I want. I want low prices. So I'm OK with it. You know, it's an amazing substance. You look at the Indy cars — they run 100 percent on ethanol. And you look at other certain forms of very modern energy, it's ethanol-based, and that meant a lot to me."

E15 Cheaper Than E10 Fuel

The announcement came much to delight of farmers, since Ethanol was an alcohol manufactured from fermented corn, wheat, barley or potatoes, and typically blended with gasoline and used as fuel in the United States.

Gasoline typically contained 10 percent Ethanol, also known as E10. E15 fuel was the kind of gasoline with 15 percent Ethanol blended in it. And since Ethanol was domestically produced in the U.S., especially in Kansas, which has the largest ethanol-producing district in the country (housing 12 Ethanol plants), higher percentage of the alcohol in gasoline naturally meant a drop in fuel prices.

According to Des Moines Register, E15 is typically 5 cents to 10 cents cheaper per gallon than E10. This meant motorists could save a $1 or $2 when filling up at the pump.

E15 Fuel-Compatible Cars

However, before you get excited about cheaper fuel, it’s probably a good idea to check what kind of car you own because not all vehicles can reap the benefits of E15 fuel.

The EPA mandated only vehicles manufactured in or after 2001 in the U.S. could safely run on E15 fuel. Also, Flex Fuel-capable vehicles, which were designed to be able to use up to an 85 percent ethanol, 15 percent gasoline mix, were entirely compatible with Trump’s latest fuel alternative, Popular Mechanics reported.

While a Kettering University study found E15 does not damage car engines manufactured as early as 1995, there was a good chance your car insurance will not cover the damages if you happen to risk it, against EPA’s advice.

Companies such as General Motors and Ford have declared their own models built in 2012, 2013 and onwards should have no difficulties when it came to running on E15.

However, while people can opt for either E10 or E15, as per their preference, commuter have to be extra-careful while purchasing fuel from a station that has blender pumps — which meant a single pump dispensing both kinds of fuel. Due to this, people who strictly want to lay off the E15 type will have to purchase at least four gallons of E10 in order to make sure any trace of the former is diluted inside the tank.

Environmental Concerns

The very reason for EPA banning the sale of E15 fuel in the summer months was due to concerns that it contributed to smog on hot days. However, when Trump was asked about the same concern, he waived it aside as nothing to worry about.

"And it has no impact — 12 months. That was a misnomer. There is no negative impact. In fact, there are those that say, you do this and the air is cleaner. I agree with that. But they say, you go 12 months instead of eight — you go 12 months, and the air is actually cleaner,” he said, the Fence Post reported.