Diluting Gasoline with More Alcohol Will not Save Much

Newsweek piece detailing how Republicans are going to solve the issue of expensive gasoline. The U.S. military operations against Iran initiated on February 28, 2026, After all of this, Iran still has the capability to disrupt shipping passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Iraq does not need much to disrupt shipping.

Seriously, the disruption is more economical. Saw $5.07/gallon at a Shell gasoline station in Sun City, AZ. The area is more retirement style of living. One could imagine how the retirees are complaining about it.

With all yr oversized vehicles being driven around here, I am sure there is alot of complaining. Think jacked-up Pickups with oversized tires and large engines. Few do the speed limit too. They also like to cozy up to you while driving. For sure, they are not drafting my Passat either. They will still pay more if the alcohol content stays high too. They are speeding by choice.

“Republicans vote to dilute gas as prices rise above $4.50”

Newsweek

Nationwide year-round sales of E15, a blend of gasoline mixed with 15 percent ethanol, also known as Unleaded 88. This product refiners and retailers normally cannot sell in around half the country during the summer months due to air pollution concerns. AB: Many of these vehicles blow smoke too. Not too much concern for pollution.

The ​H.R. 1346 bill, or the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act, passed the House with a vote of 218 to 203, but still needs to be approved by a 60 percent majority at the Senate to move forward to President Donald Trump’s desk.

Pushing for Ethanol Use

In March, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a temporary waiver to allow the sale of E15 from May 1 to May 20. At the same time, the agency also announced the removal of all federal impediments to sales of E10 (a gasoline blend mixed with 10 percent ethanol) across the country.

Ethanol is a clear, colorless, volatile, and flammable alcohol produced by fermenting sugars from agricultural crops such as corn or sugarcane. It generally reduces greenhouse gases. However, E15 can produce more smog-forming emissions when it evaporates in heat.

E15 is generally cheaper than E10. According to a 2024 estimate by the EPA, the E15 blend was then about $0.25 a gallon cheaper than E10. The Renewable Fuels Association estimates the price for E15 to be often 5-10 percent lower than the one for E10.

AB: 25 cents per gallon cheaper, heh? Twenty-six to thirty-six gallons is claimed to be the standard. Fill-ups with 6 gallons left would be a savings of $5 to $7.50 per fill up. Around here you have to drive. A fill up might be every other day for a working pickup. Then too, many here are numerically restrained,

What Is E15?

E15 is a mixture of 15 percent ethanol and 85 percent gasoline. This formulation is slightly different from standard fuel, E10, meaning it has 10 percent ethanol and 90 percent gasoline.

According to a report by MotorBiscuit, the standard fuel has an octane rating (the fuel’s ability to withstand compression in an internal combustion engine without premature detonation) of 87, with ethanol carrying a higher octane rating of 114.

However, while the E15 rollout can lower prices, ethanol does contains less energy than gasoline, so eventually with E15, a driver will end up burning more fuel for the same amount of distance, albeit fuel which is slightly cheaper than standard gasoline.

According to the EPA’s website, it previously approved E15 for use in light-duty conventional vehicles of model year 2001 and newer, through a Clean Air Act waiver request. Gas stations are not required to sell E15, but some have started offering E15 due to state and federal incentives for upgrading equipment and better profit margins when compared with regular gasoline.

E15 is available in 31 states at just over 3,000 stations, and vehicles approved for E15 use include flexible fuel vehicles and conventional vehicles of model year 2001 and newer. Vehicles prohibited from using E15 include all motorcycles, all vehicles with heavy-duty engines, such as school buses and delivery trucks, and all engines in off-road equipment, such as chain saws and gasoline lawn mowers.

AB: Trump is good at hoodwinking people. And people fall for it. Attacking Iraq was not a good idea given the geographies of Iran and their ability to limit shipping. His personality is well known. People fall for it again and again. What is even worst are his boasts about what he has done, And still people are supportive.

It will still be a few months before things settle down in the Middle East after Trump did his worst.