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