What is Unleaded 88 or Flex Fuel and is it safe to use?

The price is tempting.

But is there a hidden cost to the steeply discounted gas being offered by Sheetz through the Fourth of July holiday?

The Pennsylvania-based gas station operator, which has been expanding its footprint in northern Ohio, announced that it has reduced the per-gallon price of its Unleaded 88 grade gas to just $3.99.

And the price of its E85 or Flex Fuel grade gas has dropped to $3.49 a gallon.

The price is tempting to those motorists who are used to fueling with the more expensive typical grades of gasoline – rated by level of octane – found at most gas stations.

These are 87 or regular, 89 or mid grade and 91 or premium.

Different grades of fuel

So what makes Unleaded 88 and E85 different?

It comes down to the amount of ethanol made from things like sugar cane, barley and corn that is added to the fuel.

The U.S. EPA says Unleaded 88 can be used in vehicles that are newer than 2001.

It should be noted that auto manufactures of some higher-end vehicles recommend only using mid range and premium gas.

As for the E85, it should only be used in vehicles that are specifically marked – typically on the gas cap or on the side of the vehicle or on the trunk – that it is

Flexfuel compatible.

The irony is among the 22 million Flexfuel-rated vehicles on the road today, most owners still use the more expensive mainstream fuels.

“There are a lot of these vehicles that have never even seen that fuel,” said Robert White, vice president for industry relations for the Renewable Fuels Association.

It should be noted that in many states – Ohio included – ethanol is already mixed in the typical three typical grades of gas found at most stations.

White said the old rule of thumb was the more ethanol content in the gas, the lower the fuel mileage.

But he said a recent study the association was part of in California found that some vehicle mileage dropped around 1% and some saw no change at all and a handful actually increased in mileage.

The EPA, he said, used the cutoff of 2001 for Unleaded 88 for the recommended use in vehicles and SUVS because there were too many variables like mileage, types of use, state of repair to be able to fairly evaluate whether higher ethanol added into the gas impacted an older vehicle’s performance.

Since its introduction in 2012, White said, vehicles in the U.S. have motored some 55 billion miles on ethanol-enhanced fuel whether the consumer was aware of it or not.

“If someone fueled your vehicle for you and used it (Unleaded 88), you probably would never even notice a difference,” White said.

Craig Webb can be reached at cwebb@thebeaconjournal.com.