We're not exactly sold on the merits of ethanol, although it makes somewhat more sense in the Midwest than it does anywhere that isn't the Midwest. The problem is, as we've mentioned previously, that ethanol requires significantly more BTUs to produce than it gives back. Combine that with the fact that it can't be shipped via pipeline because it absorbs water, and E85 becomes pretty expensive out on the coasts which is one of the main reasons why E85 (85% ethanol/15% gasoline) isn't really sold out there. Still, the General is planning to build 400,000 trucks and SUVS capable of running E85 next year, allowing more Midwesterners to take advantage of the alternative fuel choice.
Ethanol-gas fuel boosts mileage of GM's trucks [Detroit Free Press]
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