Ethanol seems to be the next big thing in fuel. It's renewable and it has prospects for aiding the environment. But can you car run on it?

Ethanol burns in a very similar way to gasoline, so any car can use it if it is poured into the gas tank. However, it can have corrosive effects on some car parts and your car must be specially tuned to work efficiently with the different fuel type. Any car can run effectively with a small proportion of ethanol mixed into gasoline, and you may notice that many gas stations are now serving up E10 (10% ethanol, 90% gasoline). To safely and efficiently run a more concentrated version of ethanol, like E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline), you car must be designed to do so.

These cars are very popular abroad, especially in Brazil, but they are slowly becoming available in the United States. Many car manufacturers now offer at least some of their cars with an E85 compatible Flex Fuel option. However, this option is not standard on these models and if you did not request it when you purchased your car, chances are it's not E85 compatible.

For a list of vehicles with this option, check out the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition website (http://www.e85fuel.com/e85101 /flexfuelvehicles.php). They have compiled a list, sorted by manufacturer, of all currently available E85 compatible vehicles.

If you purchased an eligible vehicle and you want to check to see if your car is E85 compatible, the next step is to look at the VIN number. You can find this 17-character code on your windshield or on your vehicle registration. It contains a lot of information about your car, including make, model, and style.

The 8th digit of the VIN identifies the engine type of your vehicle. For each vehicle, a specific letter or digit will designate whether or not it is E85 compatible. The specific character varies with the make and model of your car. Your car's manufacturer should be able to provide you with that information, or you could return to the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition website (http://www.e85fuel.com/e85101 /flexfuelvehicles.php) and browse the list of VIN numbers for currently available vehicles.

If your car is E85 compatible, congratulations on doing your part to sustain the environment and the economy. If not, use this information to research your next car purchase and choose a vehicle that is environmentally safe and sustainable.

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