The Bush administration hast just announced that it wants to reduce the U.S. fuel consumption by 20% over the next decade. For willing automakers, that's good news. One of those, Ford, chose to develop an F-150 with E85-compatible V8. Soon to be produced in a number of places, including Varennes (Quebec), ethanol will have to supply a mass distribution network in order to increase the percentage of ethanol in regular fuel from 5 to 85% (bioethanol)!
Sonic gas stations have shown the example in Quebec since 1994; more than 100 of them offer gasoline with 5% ethanol. I should point out that every standard engine can run on gasoline with up to 10% ethanol. Soon, Petro-Canada will do the same.
Flex-Fuel F-150
Automakers have been developing ethanol-powered engines for quite some time now. Ford initially made them optional on their popular truck. Today, when you buy an F-150 with the 5.4L V8, the engine is standard equipped for running on E85 fuel. (Exclusive F-Series trucks like the Harley-Davidson, Flareside and Super Duty models are the only exceptions.) Ford is thus planning ahead for when bioethanol will be available everywhere.
In base trim, the F-150 is still the best choice in the full-size pickup truck category, according to fleet managers who use it to haul and tow heavy loads. After all, it's "Built Ford Tough"! That said, the blue-oval automaker should not rest on their laurels. While the F-150 has been leading the competition for many years, GM trucks are now slowly but surely gaining more market shares.
Dodge, meanwhile, has extended their lineup to the 5-Class. Even Toyota, with the completely redesigned, third-generation Tundra, proves to be a legitimate rival. Company execs claim they intend on beating Ford at their own game. The American is laughing and doesn't consider the Tundra as a serious threat. Slowly but surely, however, the soon-to-be new # 1 automaker in the world will eat away at the Big Three's market shares...
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| The city of Varennes, Quebec, will soon have its ethanol production facility. |
Sonic gas stations have shown the example in Quebec since 1994; more than 100 of them offer gasoline with 5% ethanol. I should point out that every standard engine can run on gasoline with up to 10% ethanol. Soon, Petro-Canada will do the same.
Flex-Fuel F-150
Automakers have been developing ethanol-powered engines for quite some time now. Ford initially made them optional on their popular truck. Today, when you buy an F-150 with the 5.4L V8, the engine is standard equipped for running on E85 fuel. (Exclusive F-Series trucks like the Harley-Davidson, Flareside and Super Duty models are the only exceptions.) Ford is thus planning ahead for when bioethanol will be available everywhere.
In base trim, the F-150 is still the best choice in the full-size pickup truck category, according to fleet managers who use it to haul and tow heavy loads. After all, it's "Built Ford Tough"! That said, the blue-oval automaker should not rest on their laurels. While the F-150 has been leading the competition for many years, GM trucks are now slowly but surely gaining more market shares.
Dodge, meanwhile, has extended their lineup to the 5-Class. Even Toyota, with the completely redesigned, third-generation Tundra, proves to be a legitimate rival. Company execs claim they intend on beating Ford at their own game. The American is laughing and doesn't consider the Tundra as a serious threat. Slowly but surely, however, the soon-to-be new # 1 automaker in the world will eat away at the Big Three's market shares...
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| The F-150 is still the benchmark in the full-size segment. |