Fuel prices are near record highs across the United States, and no more so in California, where the average price of regular gasoline recently touched $6.42 in Los Angeles. That’s an average. There are places in the state where the cost is even higher. If you’re outside California, the prices might be lower, but you’re still probably paying more than what you’re used to if you have a gas-powered car.
If only there were some magic fuel that cost less money and could be put in a modern car you could buy right now. Even better, what if that fuel could be put in a modern car that you could buy right now that also happened to be good and affordable?
I’m excited to tell you that both Buick and Chevrolet offer E85-capable vehicles, and they both happen to be the cheapest cars they sell.
E85 Is Way Cheaper In Most Places Right Now
The United States produces a lot of corn, and that corn is good for many things, including making tortilla chips and ethanol. Recently, about 40% of US corn production has gone to making ethanol. If you’re unaware, E85 is fuel with an ethanol blend of up to 85%, compared to E10 (which is what you get at many gas stations) or E0, which is normal fuel with no ethanol blended in at all.
There’s some debate about whether or not you want to put any ethanol in your tank, and it can be harmful for older vehicles. Consumer Reports suggests that post-2001 cars and light-duty trucks are probably fine with up to E15. While less popular in recent years, FlexFuel Vehicle (FFV) cars can take up to E85. Whether or not you’re getting 85% ethanol will depend on where you live and the time of year, as the blend is seasonally adjusted based on how cold or warm it is outside.
Ethanol is much cheaper, which is both because we make it here and because it’s heavily subsidized and taxed at a lower rate, as the Cato Institute points out. This push resulted in many automakers offering FFV cars and trucks in the last few years, but the expansion of hybrids and electric vehicles has reduced interest.
The timing of that reduced interest is bad given that fuel prices are so high. According to E85prices.com, the current spread between E85 and E10 is about 24.8%, which grows to 35.1% when compared to completely ethanol-free fuel. This means E85 is cheaper in most places.
If you’re in California, the delta between E85 and E10 is a horrendous and stupefying 60.7%, meaning that it’s going to cost more than double to fill up with regular gas. For instance, the ARCO in Moreno Valley wants $5.69 for E10 and $1.99 for E85. That’s a huge difference.
The Buick Envista And Chevy Trax May Be The Last New E85 Cars For Sale
I recently reviewed the 2026 Chevy Trax, and thought at the price point it was a much better deal than a lot of used cars that have either matched or exceeded $25,000. It’s been a minute since I reviewed the Envista, but I also thought it was a really good deal.
They are also, both, FFV vehicles if equipped with the correct package. A quick look at Cars.com shows that there are more than 300 for sale currently within about 250 miles of the Autopian office, meaning that getting an FFV-equipped vehicle in California is not that hard.
I like the light green color you can get on the Trax, and there’s a Trax ACTIVE that is being listed at $24,734 after fees and destination in that color, which is below MSRP. That’s not an unusual price, meaning that grabbing a Trax for under $25,000 is very possible. If you want a larger or nicer-spec Envista you’re looking at something closer to $30,000. Given where car prices are right now, that’s also a decent deal.
If you’re willing to dip into used cars, there are plenty of other options with E85 capabilities, though mostly work vehicles such as lower-trim Ford F-150s, Ram 1500s, and GMC Yukons. There are a handful of other vehicles you’d imagine picking up at an Avis counter in 2013 or in a government fleet. Historically, E85 trucks have been more popular in the Midwest than out in California.
Is There A Catch?
Yeah, there’s a catch. There’s always a catch. Ethanol is less energy dense than gasoline, so an E85 blend that is 83% ethanol has 27% less energy per gallon than pure gasoline. The less energy-dense the fuel is, the more fuel is required to go the same distance. The total impact that this will have on how efficient your car is depends on just how much ethanol is in your fuel, as well as your general driving characteristics.
As you can see in the chart above from FuelEconomy.gov, the non-FFV Trax gets 31 mpg highway, 28 city, and 29 mpg combined. The FFV version does a little better thanks to an extra 1 MPG on the highway. That’s using regular gasoline. When the Trax uses E85, that dips to 22 MPG combined.
Another way to look at it is that a full tank of regular gasoline will allow the Trax to go 396 miles, but only allow the E85 version to go approximately 290 miles. The overall difference is that, on regular pump gas, the car is about 37% more efficient.
Therefore, if you’re in California, you don’t have to really think about this at all. The gap between prices is upwards of 60% in many places, meaning that you’re still saving money even if you’re using more fuel. In New York, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska, it’s probably cheaper to use E85 as well. If you’re in a state that has cheaper fuel, like Louisiana, it may not make as much sense.
Some people in California have noticed, and here’s a Trax owner on the Trax subreddit bragging about how great a commuter the car is:
I 100% agree No-Hamster800. The Trax is one of the best commuters, and it’s also one of the cheaper non-hybrid, non-EV ways to get around in places with higher fuel costs.
The other perk of a new E85 vehicle is that when either gas prices go down or E85 prices go up (or both), the Trax can just be driven on regular pump gas as if nothing happened. While the vehicle’s fuel system and electronics are fortified and calibrated for ethanol, they’re also just as capable of running on gasoline.
It’s hard to know how long this particular increase in gas prices will last, but if you’re in the market for a small CUV and live in a place like New York or California, this is just another reason to consider either the Trax or the Envista.
Top photo: Thomas Hundal
The post Want To Spend Half As Much Money On Fuel? Chevy And Buick Are Quietly Selling E85-Capable Cars appeared first on The Autopian.
