Environmental Agenda: E85 Flex Fuel

General Motors of Canada has created seven innovations as part of its unwavering commitment to making a greener car. One of these is a breakthrough technology called Ethanol FlexFuel, or E85.

E85 is an alcohol-based fuel that contains a mixture of gasoline and up to 85% ethanol (from which we get the name E85.) This remarkable fuel source is increasingly common in the United States, where corn - the primary material in ethanol fuel production - is a major crop.

And because ethanol is a fuel that is made by turning plant materials into alcohol, it results in lower life cycle greenhouse gas emissions than regular fuels. It's also a renewable resource, which means that over the long term, our dependency on petroleum will be considerably reduced.

Why can't all vehicles accept E85 in their tanks?

The fact is that ethanol is more corrosive and needs a modified fuel system that can handle it. Certain fuel systems contain rubber, aluminium and other materials that may break down due to long-term contact.

GM has overcome this obstacle and has been selling Ethanol FlexFuel vehicles since 2000. Today, there are over 2 million E85 FlexFuel vehicles on the road in North America and GM has become an industry leader in their production.

GM's E85 lineup

GM's E85 lineup features the GMC Yukon, whose 320 hp 5.3L Vortec V8 engine loses nothing of its power with this alternative fuel source. Other vehicles include the Chevrolet Impala, Chevrolet Silveradoand the Pontiac Montana SV6, all perfect blends of style and functionality, performance and efficiency.

Learn more about GM of Canada's groundbreaking E85 technology or visit Green By Designto take a closer look at the rest of GM's environmentally friendly innovations.
 

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