$2.69 per gallon! Cheaper fuel alternative comes to valley

With gas prices continuing to skyrocket, one Desert Hot Springs gas station is offering a cheaper alternative.

It’s called E85. It’s made up of 85 percent corn ethanol and burns clean. The price right now is a lot cheaper than regular unleaded gas and only one gas station in the valley is offering it.

For a month now, drivers who stop at the Chevron gas station on Two Bunch Palms Trail and Palm Drive have a new choice at the pump.

While unleaded gas prices go up, E85 is dropping. It’s nearly $2 cheaper than premium gasoline.

“We’ve been getting a lot of customers curious about it due to how cheap it is,” said G&M Oils Area Supervisor David Hirschfield. “I have been pumping it myself. I pumped about 20 gallons and it cost me roughly 55-60 bucks average. On regular octane it would cost me like a hundred bucks to fill up.”

So what is E85? It’s a blend that is 85 percent ethanol made from corn and it’s produced in the U.S.

“Once we put the E85 flex fuel price in front of the store, everybody started coming in to see if they could put it in their vehicle,” said Hirschfield.

Much like diesel, not all cars can use E85.

“They have to say flex fuel on it,” said Fiesta Ford Fleet Manager Ron Stewart.

One of the ways you can tell if your car is compatible with E85 is by checking the gas tank. The color of the gas cap will tell you what type of gas you can use. A good rule of thumb: match the color of your cap to the pump. E85 pumps are yellow, so are the gas caps of flex fuel cars.

More and more cars and trucks are becoming compatible. On a Ford F-150, for example, the flex fuel option comes standard.

“What that means for the customer is you get a fuel at a cheaper price because it’s not as processed as the normal regular fuels that are in the gas stations,” said Stewart.

Flex fuel cars are flexible; they can also use regular unleaded gas.

“Later down the road when the price goes down, because we all know it goes up and down, you can switch back to the 87 and stop at any gas station,” said Stewart.

This can be a good option in the desert, because only one gas station in the valley offers E85.

“It won’t be at every gas station; it’s something you will have to seek out. It’s something that you might want to research and take advantage of and save some money,” said Stewart.

Other major car brands also offer flex fuel cars: GM, Toyota, Nissan, even luxury brands like Mercedes. For a full list,click here.

You can also find E85 at gas stations throughout Southern California. For a list, click here.