By Melissa Murphy/ MMurphy@TheReporter.com
Posted: 05/19/2009
Solano County residents owning vehicles with flexfuel engines can purchase high octane E85 now in Vacaville. The Pacific Pride fueling station on Cotting Lane offers the ethanol fuel. (Rick Roach / The Reporter)
A cleaner and more efficient fuel has come to Vacaville.
Although it's off the beaten path for most drivers, the Pacific Pride fueling station on Cotting Lane is now offering high octane E85, or ethanol fuel, and is easily assessable to truck fleets with flexfuel engines in the area.
"Right now its location is designed for commercial uses," said Greg Andrews, vice president of Interstate Oil. "We don't have the retail locations."
Vacaville is one of four places in Northern California where Interstate Oil provides ethanol.
As of last year, only a few were publicly accessible in the Bay Area and Southern California.
"We want to be environmentally conscious," he said, adding that E85 has fewer emissions than regular gasoline.
Derrick Tubbs, fuel management specialist, explained that using E85 can double the life of vehicle engines, since it burns hotter and cleaner.
The E85 is made from corn and is 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gas. Although vehicles that run on E85 get lower gas mileage -- about 20 percent less -- than those using regular gasoline, Tubbs said that ethanol is cheaper. Right now, E85 is selling for about $1.99 per gallon.
Although geared toward commercial trucks, the fueling station can be used by regular drivers whose vehicles have flexfuel engines.
Having an engine that is flexfuel certified guarantees that the seals and gaskets, as well as the fuel lines, can handle the E85 fuel, according to Tubbs.
Drivers looking to use the E85 station need a credit card and must apply for an account through Interstate Oil.
Although, Vacaville's city vehicles mostly run on electricity or natural gas, transportation Systems Manager Ed Huestis said that it's good for drivers to have another alternative to regular gasoline.
"It's a good thing to get the word out and let drivers know they can do their part," he said. "Many, many people don't know they have a vehicle that can use that fuel."
Some of the vehicles that can use E85 include newer cars and trucks made by Toyota, Ford, Dodge, Chrysler and Chevrolet. A list of vehicle makes and models equipped with flexfuel engines can be found at www.E85vehicles.com.
Mike Ammann, president of the Solano Economic Development Corp., said it's great to see a station offer alternative fuel.
"It doesn't happen just anywhere," he said, adding that Vacaville is in ideal proximity to Sacramento and the Bay Area. "It (the E85) is in a very strategic location."
Ammann hopes that more alternative fuels will be brought to Solano County.
"In the near future, I would love to see all alternative fuels at convenient locations," he said. "It would be nice to have them all in one place."
Andrews said that Interstate Oil is trying to stay ahead of the curve and help the environment.
"Everyone is concerned about the air," he said. "We want to do our part."
Andrews acknowledged that the E85 venture is new for the company, which is curious to see how well the industry will do.
"We'll see what happens," he said. "We feel there will be a demand and we wanted to align ourselves with what the state is already doing."
For more information on Interstate Oil and E85, visit www.interstateoil.com or call (888) YOU-FUEL.
