Alternate Route

Aug 10, 2008 - Running On Empty

As if I needed any more evidence, allow me to present my mileage figures on my return trip from vacation where I was forced to fill up with a 10% ethanol blend.

On the trip down from State College, PA to Williamsburg, VA my mileage was 32.7 mpg using "unblended" fuel. That was a little lower than I normally get on the highway no doubt due to the full load of 4 adult sized passengers plus luggage, but still not too bad. I even got 32.1 running around the WIlliamsburg area with no trip being longer than 13 miles.

On the return trip we had to stop for fuel just north of Richmond and had no choice but E10. Same roads, same highway cruising speeds, same load. Filled up when we got back home with 9.8 gallons and had covered 296 miles. That's 30.2 mpg or a 7.6% decrease in mileage. And I paid exactly the same price for the blend as I did for regular unleaded.

Now I know there are those of you out there who are true believers who say that there's no way this is happening because of ethanol and you couldn't be more wrong. Time to put down the Kool-Aid folks.

6:41 am | Categories: commentary, ethanol Permalink | Alert Administrator

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