| During the State of the Union Address on January | | | | future. |
| 31,2006 President George W. Bush presented a | | | | In his USA Today feature article Mr. Healy noted |
| plan to the people of the United States and to | | | | that Ford CEO Bill Ford states his company will |
| the U.S. Congress to replace more than 75 | | | | boost FFV production 25% this year to 250,000. |
| percent of our oil imports from the Middle East by | | | | Also noted was that General Motors has pledged |
| 2025.He spoke of hybrid cars, hydrogen based | | | | to build more than 400,000 FFV annually, starting |
| fuel cell cars and the expansion of ethanol fueled | | | | this year. Noting that a barrel of oil is saved for |
| vehicles. The ethanol-based technology is already | | | | every 37 gallons of E85 that is used. |
| here, there are already somewhere in the | | | | Mr. Healy's feature article raised an interesting |
| neighborhood of 5 million Flexible Fuel Vehicles | | | | point: most cars on the road today in the USA |
| (FFV) already on the road in the USA.FFV can run | | | | require no modifications at all to run on Gasohol, |
| on regular unleaded gasoline or a blend of 85 | | | | which is a blend of 90 percent gasoline and 10 |
| percent ethanol and 15 percent regular unleaded | | | | percent ethanol. By taking the first step of using |
| gasoline (known as E85) or any percentage of | | | | the 10 percent ethanol blend we, as the American |
| ethanol and gasoline blend in between. | | | | driving public, can accomplish a couple of things. |
| The expansion of FFV is, in my opinion, an | | | | First we can help the environment by burning a |
| opportunity for General Motors and Ford to step | | | | cleaner fuel in our current cars. Second we can |
| forward and show the American people that they | | | | give the automakers the acknowledgement that |
| can compete by building vehicles that are friendlier | | | | the American consumer is serious about |
| to the environment and not dependent on | | | | alternative renewable fuel. This perhaps would |
| products imported to us from the politically volatile | | | | spur other manufacturers to join General Motors |
| Middle East. | | | | and Ford in offering expanded choices in the FFV |
| Ford showed off an ethanol-hybrid SUV this past | | | | line-up. Third this would give production facilities |
| January at the Washington, D.C. auto show, as | | | | time to tool up as well as a ready and willing |
| reported by USA Today writer James R. Healy. | | | | market to expand into. Fourth this should help |
| This E85-burning hybrid Ford Escape is part of "a | | | | American farmers by boosting the price of corn |
| development program, not a research program", | | | | that is widely used in ethanol production. Fifth this |
| according to Ford Executive Vice President Anne | | | | would also give more fuel stations the time to |
| Stevens. This means that the American consumer | | | | begin making the necessary additions to their |
| will find these vehicles in showrooms sooner | | | | storage facilities to accommodate E85 fuel. This |
| rather than later. | | | | will not happen over night but instead slowly over |
| USA Today writer James R. Healy did a cover | | | | time. The next time you are in the market for a |
| story on Thursday February 2,2006 highlighting | | | | new vehicle a FFV may be a viable choice for |
| the message from the States of the Union | | | | you. |
| Address indicating that E85 is not the answer | | | | The manufacturers will build the vehicles that are |
| because among other things the infrastructure is | | | | demanded by the public. If you feel that an E85 |
| not in place, except for the Midwest, and, if you | | | | fuel vehicle may fit your needs the next time you |
| do not own one of the 5 million FFV currently on | | | | purchase a vehicle do your research and do what |
| the road you would need to buy a new car that | | | | is right for you. Remember that the flexibility of |
| can use E85. I understand these very valid points | | | | an E85 fueled vehicle does not restrict your travel |
| but I also must say that it is February 2006 as I | | | | to only areas that have E85, because it will also |
| write this article and 2025 is still 19 years away. | | | | run on regular unleaded fuel. To get additional |
| The technology is here; we just need to get on | | | | information you can visit for the National Ethanol |
| board with the new technology now in order to | | | | Vehicle Coalition. |
| cut the dependency on foreign oil imports in the | | | | |