Ah, ethanol—liquid sunshine distilled from corn kernels and the secret sauce in your neighbor’s questionable moonshine.
Now it’s hitching a ride in your gas tank as E15, also known as “Unleaded 88,” because slapping “88” on the pump handle somehow sounds cooler than “Corn Juice Deluxe.”
But before you celebrate saving 10 cents a gallon, consider this: can your trusty ride handle an extra 5% of this agricultural ambrosia?
Corn in Your Combustion Chamber?
E15 is 85% familiar gasoline and 15% ethanol. Compared to standard E10 (87 octane), it boasts a slightly higher octane rating—hence the marketing spin “Regular 88.”
The EPA gives a cautious thumbs-up for use in most 2001-and-newer cars, light trucks, and SUVs; everything else—think vintage roadsters, boats, snowmobiles, and lawnmowers—should steer clear.
“It Depends on the Age of Your Vehicle”
Consumer Reports’ tire guru and test driver Ryan Pszczolkowski puts it plainly:
“If you remember some years back, we had E85… We found over time the E85 wasn’t good for motors and fuel systems. E15 has a much lower percentage of ethanol that isn’t as harmful to newer motors.”
Translation: your grandma’s 1996 sedan might whimper at the thought, while your 2022 flex-fuel flexes its muscles.
Read the Fine Print… in Your Glovebox
Alex Knizek, Associate Director of Auto Test Development at Consumer Reports, poked around the manuals of a 2025 Ram 1500 and a 2025 Subaru Forester and found:
“Both of those manuals said 15 percent ethanol is the maximum percentage you should be putting into those cars.”
Your car’s manufacturer might not tweet, but they did "italicize" that in the user guide—so maybe give it a skim next time you’re hunting for the jumper-cable instructions.
The Pros and Cons of Corn Chemistry
Pros:
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Price Cut: E15 often undercuts E10 at the pump.
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Cleaner Burn: Ethanol can reduce some tailpipe emissions (so they tell us).
Cons:
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Worse Mileage: Ethanol’s energy density is lower, so expect fewer miles per gallon.
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Potential Wear: Older seals, fuel lines, and engine parts can suffer from that extra alcohol content.
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Carbon-Intensive Corn: The land-use emissions of growing all that corn? Not exactly Mother Nature’s BFF.
Misfire Mayhem & Engine Knocking
High-octane fuel prevents “knock”—premature combustion that sounds like your engine hosting a maraca party.
If your car requires 91 or 93 octane and you pour in E15, you risk pinging, pinging, ka-bing! Not the kind of symphony you want under the hood.
One Tank Won’t Kill You…But Time Might
Got a 1999 beater? Best to stick with E10. Got a 2020 hybrid? E15 is probably OK—just don’t make it a lifelong habit. As Pszczolkowski warns:
“One tank of E15 isn’t going to kill your car, but it will affect it over time.”
Think of it like eating too many funnel cakes at the county fair: one’s a treat, ten’s a heart-stopper.
The Final Word from the EPA
The EPA green-lights E15 for “flex-fuel vehicles, as well as 2001 and newer cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty SUVs.”
If your vehicle doesn’t meet the bingo card, keep that ethanol as a novelty garnish, not the main course.
So next time you roll up to the pump, ask yourself: “Corn or no corn?”
Your wallet may cheer, but your odometer might groan.
Choose wisely—or risk turning your engine into a popcorn maker.
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