More Flex-Fuel Vehicles, Blender Pumps, and Infrastructure Needed

(June 2, 2011) Washington – Echoing Congressional calls at a press conference today to increase the number of flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) available to American consumers, Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen issued the following statement:

“Putting more Americans behind the wheel of flexible fuel vehicles is essential to breaking the near monopoly oil interests have over our nation’s fuel supply. Together with blender pumps offering a range of ethanol blends, more FFVs on the road would put consumers in the driver’s seat when it comes to the nation’s energy future. Ethanol remains the only proven, widely available alternative to gasoline today and will so for the foreseeable future. Investments in vehicle technologies that can accommodate a wide range of ethanol blends will necessarily expand the market for ethanol and create new opportunities for developing and nearly commercial ethanol technologies. More ethanol-ready vehicles are a critical component to the nation’s strategy to end our addiction to oil.”

The RFA has endorsed the Open Fuel Standard Act introduced by Representatives John Shimkus and Elliot Engel. Additionally, the RFA has endorsed similar legislation offered by Senators Tom Harkin and Richard Lugar. Vehicle technology, infrastructure investment, and marketplace certainty with respect to oil prices are key pillars of the ethanol industry’s efforts to transform current ethanol policy.