Carmakers and oil companies intensify campaign against ethanol

The Coordinating Research Council, a group backed by, among others, Ford Motor Co., Honda Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp, said tests showed E15 could cause erratic fuel-gauge readings and check- engine alerts. The tests involving fuel pumps and gas-tank sensors were made in five popular models including the 2004 Ford Ranger and 2007 Nissan Altima, according to the council.
 
Ethanol, in the worst cases, might cause components to swell and “could result in breakdowns that leave consumers stranded on busy roads and highways,” said Robert Greco, a director with the American Petroleum Institute, and a member of the research council. He said that in at least one test, a fuel-pump component either froze or broke apart, preventing gasoline from reaching the engine.
 
Ethanol makers said the study was flawed and that the problems it identifies might be tied to car components, not the fuel. Growth Energy, a pro-ethanol group, said oil companies and automakers had a political agenda and were “cherry-picking data. Today’s study is no surprise,” said Tom Buis, the group’s chief executive. “Oil companies are desperate to prevent the use of higher blends of renewable fuels.”
 
Currently, only a few gas stations in the U.S. offer E15, a gasoline that contains 15% ethanol instead of the standard 10%. Ethanol makers had successfully pushed for government approval of E15 and have been seeking wider adoption, but they have been facing skepticism. (February 2, 2013)