The Ford Motor Company has offered over the years a long line of cars, trucks and SUVs that are equipped with engines using flexible fuel. Flexible fuel, also called flex-fuel or E85, contains 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent unleaded gasoline, although the vehicles can also run on 100 percent gasoline.
Fords featuring an optional E85 flex-fuel system are the 1999-2000 Ranger pickup and the 1999-2005 Taurus sedan or wagon. In 2009, Ford offered the E85 Crown Victoria, E-Series van, Expedition SUV, the F-150 pickup, Lincoln Navigator, Lincoln Town Car and Mercury Grand Marquis. The Fusion was scheduled as an E85 for 2010. Ford plans to have all of its vehicles offered as E85s by 2012, according to Motor Trend.
Flexible fuel is a blend of not more than 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. In the winter months, some states use a 70/30 blend to reduce engine starting problems. Flex-fuel cars can obtain marginally better gas mileage than standard gasoline-powered vehicles, but the primary benefit comes at the fuel pump, where flex-fuel can cost as much as 50 cents less than gasoline.
Detroit-produced automobiles running on flexible fuel generally do not outwardly identify vehicles as E85 cars. E85 Ford vehicles can be identified on most of its cars with the letter "V" as the eighth character in the vehicle identification number, or VIN, found on the driver’s side dashboard. The Explorer is identified with the eighth character “K” and “2” in the same location for the Taurus, according to e85vehicles.com. When in doubt, owners should consult an authorized Ford dealer.
The compact Ford Escape SUV has emerged as one of the automaker’s most environmentally friendly cars, with its hybrid E85 model. Using hybrid Toyota Prius technology with a gasoline-powered engines working in tandem with an electric motor, the Escape achieves fuel-efficiency above 30 mpg. With the E85 option, the Escape’s carbon dioxide emissions are reduced by 25 percent.
The Crown Victoria is a rare luxury car that is offered as an E85 model. It features a 224-horsepower 4.6-liter V-8 engine, with a four-speed automatic transmission. The 2010 models are a carry-over from 2009 with no significant differences.
The F-150 pickup truck is Ford’s best-selling vehicle. It’s powered by a 310-hp 5.4-liter V-8 engine. The E85 versions do not compromise the truck’s towing or payload capacities. The E85 Explorer comes in the two-wheel and four-wheel-drive models, along with the four-liter six-cylinder Explorer Sport Trac pickup. The V-8-powered Explorers only earn 13 mpg in the city and 14 on the highway, but overall annual savings at the fuel pump is about $300 in 2009 fuel prices, according to e85vehicles.com.
The 2010 Lincoln Town Car, powered by 239-hp 4.6-liter V-8 and matched with a four-speed automatic, is Ford’s most expensive E85 luxury car with a $52,000 price tag. It’s carried over fro the 2009 models with no changes. A yellow gas cap denotes whether it runs on flexible fuel.
