EPA to crack down on “overblending” of ethanol: up to E20 marketed as E10; non flex-fuel cars at risk

The Environmental Protection Agency said that it will increase efforts to police overblending of ethanol beyond the 10 percent limit allowed for non-flex fuel enabled vehicles.

“We believe some retailers are either taking inadequate precautions to assure that fuel containing greater than 10% ethanol is not dispensed into motor vehicles and engines certified for gasoline only — or are selling fuel labeled as ‘gasoline’ that actually contains greater than 10% ethanol in violation of the Clean Air Act,” the EPA said.

Kiplinger reports that an Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers study determined that average blends are  at 11.6% for premium gasoline and 11.1% for regular, and said that overblending has been spotted in more than a half-dozen states.  Tennessee has found concentrations of 12-13 percent.

A background report on E10, E20 and E30 is here.

A background report on E85 is here.

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