Virtually every car maker approves the use of E15 in model year 2023 cars and light trucks, according to the results of the Renewable Fuels Association annual survey, but few are offering flex fuel vehicles capable of using up to 85 percent ethanol.

The annual review of vehicle owner’s manuals and warranty statements found that E15 is explicitly approved by the manufacturer for use in the vast majority of model year 2023 cars and light trucks. Mitsubishi lists E15 as an approved fuel in some of its 2023 vehicles for the first time. More than 94 percent of new light-duty gasoline vehicles are explicitly approved by the manufacturer to use E15. Only Mercedes-Benz, Mazda, and Volvo do not list E15 as a recommended fuel in their owner’s manuals, even though E15 is legally approved by EPA for use in all vehicles built since 2001.

When it comes to the E85 Flex Fuel blend, however, the story remains vastly different. Far fewer models are reported available as flex-fuel vehicles, or FFVs, that run on fuel blends containing up to 85 percent fuel ethanol. As was the case in 2022, only Ford and General Motors now offer FFVs in the United States, most of which are for fleet purchases only. For model year 2023, the only FFVs available to consumers are select Ford Explorer, F-150 and Transit models. As recently as model year 2015, more than 80 different FFV models from eight manufacturers were available to consumers.