I'm Not Gas Huffing, I'm Just Curious
Krist Novoselic's column runs every Tuesday on The Daily Weekly.
Gasohol Binge
I frequently drive a 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan. It has over 230,000 miles on it and is going strong. (Who says Americans don't build good cars?). It's referred to as a minivan, but it's a nice big car that's served as the Flipper tour van, hauled large quantities of flowers to markets, and carried around three large dogs and a Pomeranian with ease.
The price was about 50 cents a gallon less than regular unleaded. I also did something I hope others didn't notice--I took a sniff of the nozzle! I wasn't gas huffing (I swear!), although it might have seemed so to any onlooker. Unfamiliar with ethanol, I was only curious about the fuel. It seemed to have no scent--no, I didn't get a head rush! I filled up the tank with a little over $20 worth of E85.
There was no loss of power, and driving seemed no different. But as I continued down the road, I noticed the average mpg on the overhead computer start to drop. At fill-up it read 22 mpg, then steadily went down to 17 mpg, where it stayed. The E85 was 25 percent cheaper than regular gas, but the van's mpg decreased by 25 percent. E85 contains less energy than gasoline, so you need to burn more fuel. I've also read that E85 does better in an engine that runs exclusively on the fuel. But there are only 1900 gas stations in the U.S. that sell E85, so the Flex seems more practical. At least for now.
Ethanol is supposed to produce less pollution than gasoline. And unlike petroleum, ethanol is derived from renewable resources like sugar and corn. Advocates argue that the technology will only improve when the basic source of the fuel is cellulosic material like corn stalks, wood chips, and other waste products. And this is just the beginning.
I'll probably run E85 again when I'm near a station that sells it - that's not going to happen but every few months. But I feel like I'm doing my part to explore alternatives to fossil fuels. If we all keep an open mind about alternative fuels, and aren't afraid to experiment with new solutions, maybe someday the Caravan will run on water (hydrogen). And the only place I'll be sniffing alcohol will be from a cocktail glass.
Transportation: Next Week - Novoselic On Mass Transit
19 comment(s)
Bob Moffitt says:
"Ethanol is supposed to produce less pollution than gasoline."
That is true.
Posted On: Tuesday, Dec. 9 2008 @ 12:44PM
Charlie says:
Hey Krist, this is a good post! It's good you take such an active interest in subjects such as this. And great quote to , "I'm Not Gas Huffing, I'm Just Curious"
Personally, right now I'm driving a petrol (gasoline in America right??)car but it's a little city car so I fill up less and the mpg is great. I don't feel like my car puts to much burden on the enviroment/atomsphere. Hydrogen is the hope though!
Posted On: Wednesday, Dec. 10 2008 @ 6:21AM
Jimbo says:
Well, I'm not that convinced by ethanol. If it is 25% cheaper and 25% less effective, so you need to burn more of it, this doesn't just affect your wallet. It also affects the environment. If you burn more of it, it produces more fumes. The fumes might not be as bad as gasoline or diesel fumes in the same quantity, but increasing the quantity, you reach the same level of pollution.
What's more, it has not been proven yet what your engine makes of this. Different fuel might have a positive or a negative effect on an engine. If the effect is positive, it might be worth it. If it is negative, then your engine might suffer premature wear. Having to replace your engine or parts of it, apart from expensive, is a massive environmental burden!
Let's not be pointlessly green, let's try to be aware of the true environmental impact of our actions, taking into consideration all aspects!
Also, when it comes to gas-guzzlers, they can be more environmentally friendly than cars with small engines under certain circumstances, such as constant long-distance, high-speed highway driving. If your use of a vehicle is driving from one side of the country to the other, then a large 8-cylinder gas-guzzling engine is more environmentally friendly as it keeps the RPM's low and thus keeps the engine wear and strain low. A small engine would work outside its normal operating limits, producing more pollution while slowly self-destructing.
Vehicles are complicated things, it's not just filling up with something that burns and driving away! Be aware!
Posted On: Wednesday, Dec. 10 2008 @ 7:09AM
Chris says:
Ethanol shouldn't cause any additional wear to a vehicle rated as a flex fuel vehicle like Mr. Novoselic's Grand Caravan. I don't advocate running e85 in a non-flex fuel vehicle, but there are people who do it few problems.
I am not one who thinks that e85 is the magic bullet that's going to make America energy independent but I do think it has some potential. It has less energy content than gasoline but it is renewable. As for "large scale agriculture," we're going to grow corn in this country regardless of whether it's going into our fuel tanks or our soda. There isn't enough corn to replace gasoline but that doesn't mean we shouldn't start building the ethanol distribution infrastructure in anticipation of cellulosic ethanol. Finally, the "fuel vs. food" argument doesn't hold up in my view. Distillation of ethanol doesn't use all of the corn kernel. The by-product, called "distillers grain" can be fed to livestock. I also find it curious that American companies probably produce more mouthwash and hand sanitizer on a volume basis than e85 (though I haven't researched this) yet no one complains that Listerene and Purell take corn out of the food supply.
Posted On: Wednesday, Dec. 10 2008 @ 9:52AM
dsd says:
You drive a mini van! Ha ha ha my oh my how times have changed!
Posted On: Wednesday, Dec. 10 2008 @ 1:48PM
Charlie says:
Don't knock the minivan!
Posted On: Wednesday, Dec. 10 2008 @ 3:01PM
Dan says:
Flipper Fit In That?!
Posted On: Wednesday, Dec. 10 2008 @ 5:40PM
Brad Hill says:
Hi Krist,
I live in Australia, and I am 18 so i have only just stated to look out in to the wide world and start to experience all these types of things for myself.
Here i n Australia if you were to spend "X" amount on buying food and such from a certain grocery store, we can go to the "Gas" Station ( we call it a service station here) and get a 4 cent a letter discount on our fuel. But something i didn't notice was that over the years the price of food and such has gone up to counteract this.
We also have a fuel blend call E10. 10% ethanol, 90% fuel, and it is cheaper than regular fuel, but . . . . I seem to be using more E10 that when i use normal fuel.
Crazy har?
And yes.... hahaha, i to smelt the fuel, but here it smells a little worse.
Posted On: Thursday, Dec. 11 2008 @ 2:22AM
dsd says:
Hey I'm not knocking the mini van!lol I've got a 2007 toyota sienna but i also have two kids, 3 dogs and two cats oh and a wife! I guess i just got caught back 17 years ago when i was in grade 10 watching nirvana take over the world! Good memories!
Posted On: Thursday, Dec. 11 2008 @ 5:44AM
bill e bob says:
Great to see another e 85 user. You are helping also by keeping you dollars at home.If every flex fuel owner would even run their car on e 85 one or two weeks out the month think of what a 25 or 50% reduction in foreign oil consumption would do. Its funny that corn prices have dropped 50% since July while ethanol production has remained the same.
Posted On: Thursday, Dec. 11 2008 @ 9:58AM
Krist Novoselic says:
I also drive a 1999 Mercedes S500. It needs work though and I have to takeit to Portland OR for repairs - time! The mini-van has a clunking sound coming out of the rear suspension - as does the S500! I'm driving my brand new Dodge 2500 truck today - and the "check engine" light came on and has stayed on all morning. TIME to take it to the dealer for repair. Ironically my 1965 VW bug is running fine. I bought it for $600 and put new rings on the pistons myself - but that took time. Also the Bug gets 32mpg! Anyway - next week I'm writing about mass transit.
Posted On: Thursday, Dec. 11 2008 @ 10:50AM
The Mad Scotsman says:
The problem with E85 is it takes more than a gallon of dinosaur juice to make a gallon of ethanol - when you take into account all the fertilizing and farm machinery and heating to process it. It is NOT green, it only benefits large agri-business, and is basically a green washing con job. I'm surprised you fell for that scam.
Cheers, Neil.
Posted On: Thursday, Dec. 11 2008 @ 11:05AM
Zarik says:
Krist, your minivan is cool but you know deep down inside it's got nothing on your infamous white van. Must be sitting in some junkyard now!
I've always envisioned a nightmare doomsday scenario, where we finally run out of standard gasoline and the food supply starts getting depleted just so we can fill up our tanks. I hope true alternative, renewable fuel sources are introduced before this can happen
Posted On: Thursday, Dec. 11 2008 @ 6:19PM
evan says:
now that we're (people in the U.S.) are in this global economic perdicament, it only seems natural to start working on the hydrogen alternative. it would create a lot of jobs, reduce the reliance on foreign oil, and reduce pollution in a major way. now if all the greedy ,oil hungry politicians would get on board the U.S. could dig its way out of this recession.
Posted On: Thursday, Dec. 11 2008 @ 8:56PM
Tiktok says:
A small engine also runs in the low RPM at highway speed--if the transmission is geared correctly. Certainly my '89 Mercury Tracer with a 3-speed automatic designed for when the speed limit was 55 didn't fare so well when the speed limit went back up to 70, but anything made in the last ten years, or with a 5-speed manual does fine.
Posted On: Friday, Dec. 12 2008 @ 2:21AM
RANDKILLER says:
wow===
i posted to you awhile back--about 911 being an inside job
i was really surprised--i looked back at the postings of yours--and you dont believe there was govt complicity---
that floors me--
---------------------
i definitely respect that you enjoy how america is a peaceful society compared to yugoslavia---
but----
there is a war against freedom being perpetuated by communist globalists that want to try to destroy the very america that you love
----------
look...
you can google this
on 10-10-01 mossad agents were caught red handed---with bombs and fake pakistani passports trying to bomb the mexican national parliament building----
that shows that pro globalist forces were staging false flag attacks to try to get us to fight wars during the weeks of 911 and the anthrax attacks
-------
then they rushed through the patriot act to try to create a police state that over rides the constitution
-----------
now thousands and thousands of people are joining the first internet social protest movement in history
the 911 truth movement
------------
very much in part inspired by what you guys were standing for in the early nineties
--------
everybody is free to do and believe in what they wanna do
-------------
we are using art,music and computers to make sure that the people that died on 911 and in the okc bombing will not have died in vain ---but will serve as inspiration to end false flag terror for all time!!!
anyways...thanks for the rockin tunes===youve definitely done more than enough already for the good karma of the universe
but i thought you might like to know this stuff
FROM THE UNDERGROUND!!
Posted On: Saturday, Dec. 13 2008 @ 1:22AM
Astral Astray says:
Gassolino is a buck 70 here in the grand ol san fernando valley....what the fuck is really going on. It hasent been this cheap since i was 24. Im going to start complaining thats its too fucking cheap. I dont know what to do with my extra 50c its making me crazy.
Nirvana still rules.
AA
AND A LITTLE MOUSTACHE....KURT WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU..A LITTLE BIRDY TOLD ME THAT....NO KRIST NO NIRVANA.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpeJqWXe3tU
Posted On: Sunday, Dec. 14 2008 @ 12:05PM
Anonymous says:
the cheaper the gas the more gas we will burn. i am 100% for an alternative.
Posted On: Tuesday, Dec. 16 2008 @ 5:49PM
Kat says:
Hahah!!! The only thing I'm thinking that may be bad about this gas is that since it goes out of the tank faster, then wouldn't it use more money? But yet what doesn't these days? By the way, Krist, I like your minivan. It sounds quite efficient.
Posted On: Tuesday, Dec. 30 2008 @ 7:47PM