KENT COUNTY, Mich. — Select the fuel type. Insert the nozzle. Squeeze the handle to fill.
The steps of getting gas are second nature, but with the current cost of gas prices, how we habitually fill up at the pump may not always be the most cost-effective option.
If the price of E85 (also referred to as flex fuel) is around 25% cheaper than 87 (regular octane fuel), it may offer a better value, according to Christian Brothers Automotive.
"It's up to you, really," shop foreman Trevor Bauman said. "If you have a flex fuel vehicle, it can be beneficial."
Bauman says E85 is typically cheaper, burns cleaner and offers more power. Conversely, it has a lower fuel economy and absorbs more moisture from the air, which can be damaging to an engine if left idle for longer periods of time.
Notably, you can only put E85 in your vehicle if it is a designated flex fuel vehicle, usually identified by a yellow fuel cap or information in your owner's manual.
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At Heffron Farms in Grattan Township, farmer Denny Heffron says he puts E85 in all of his vehicles that are capable of handling the fuel.
"It's on the news every night," Heffron said about the prices of gas.
"There is an alternative to help relieve the pain," he said, adding that when E85 is around a half-dollar cheaper than 87, he believes the former to be more economical than the latter.
Heffron also says the purchasing of this alternative fuel type supports local agriculture as a portion of his annual corn crop goes toward the production of ethanol, which is also processed in West Michigan.
"It’s a local thing," Heffron said. "It employs local people and it keeps our local economy running."
