E85 the band-aid for our gas woes?

QBeing a former resident of Illinois, you get used to having a lot of corn fields around. Then you get sick of the monotony.

The landscape might not be so bad afterall, though, as corn and other vegetables are giving rise to an alternative to gasoline dubbed E85, which is 85 percent ethanol, 15 percent gasoline. Less than the cost of the gas you buy at the corner gas station, E85 is 80 percent "greener" than gasoline with significantly reduced emissions, and yet cars that run on it are more powerful than their gasoline counterparts.

Too good to be true? Maybe. The consumption of E85 versus traditional gasoline is much greater, so you burn through it more quickly. With the environmental savings, the lower fuel cost and tax benefits, however, you'll probably come out ahead.

General Motors, by the way, is already working diligently on vehicles capable of running in E85. Just ask Bob Lutz. Ford plans to offer its own E85 as well.

Thanks to James for the tip.