It was October 2025 when Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation making way for lower cost 15 percent ethanol fuel (E15) to be made available for the first time in the state, but eight months later it has yet to happen.
At this week’s Fuel Ethanol Workshop, Robert White with the Renewable Fuels Association explained that the will of the state government is tied up in red tape regarding California’s unique stage two vapor recovery equipment.
“Stage 2 vapor recovery is a boot on the end of the nozzle when you fuel your vehicle that captures the vapor from the fuel as it enters the vehicle,” said White. “Unfortunately, it is a necessary requirement because the vehicles that would be approved to use E15 have onboard vapor recovery system that a lot of people don’t realize is there….So all we’ve been trying to say is they could use enforcement discretion, they could use various opportunities that they do at stage one and other pieces of equipment that they use at gas stations to allow E10 certified equipment to allow E15 because all of those systems were tested on E15. It’s just they were listed at E10. And the state fire marshal has dug in. They don’t seem like they’re ready to move. And so eight months later, here we sit.”
Meanwhile, White says sales of E85 in California continue to grow as retail prices are significantly lower compared to regular unleaded. “It’s crazy to think that, in Kansas City, I think the biggest discount I can find is 80 cents, maybe a dollar discount on E85. And you go to California and $2 or $3, we even saw a $4 discount in Glendale, California a couple of weeks ago from E85 to regular gasoline,” said White. “So flex fuel vehicles are definitely in high demand and we’re seeing more and more E85 stations being added – they just crossed 650 in the state.”
Learn more in this interview from FEW.
RFA Senior VP, Industry Relations and Market Development Robert White 12:25