E85 price! (April 2020)

MikeVictor · Postby **MikeVictor** » Thu Apr 16, 2020 3:55 pm

Understand this won't apply to many however confident it applies to some - what's with the price of E85 at the moment? It's actually gone up in price from the almost constant $1.50 I've been used to, it's now $1.70 according to PetrolSpy.

While I'm doing almost no driving in the MX at the moment the tight Dutchman in me is thinking I'll reflash back to a non-E85 map and fill up with 98 at $1.14. At 56c/L difference in price I think I'd be willing to forego the performance boost and get the better mileage (kilometreage just doesn't have the same ring to it does it?) back.

Is anyone able to chime in with some facts around why the price of E85 is behaving the way it is? Is it due to the subsidies on ethanol changing or something? I sat on hold to United Petroleum for over 36min without anyone taking my call. If I get a reply back from my email I'll update the thread with their response.

ManiacLachy · Postby **ManiacLachy** » Thu Apr 16, 2020 4:37 pm

I'm not surprised. When I was filling up regularly on E85 they kept bumping the price every now and then, citing the increased costs in the petrol component of the fuel. I kept justifying the extra cost vs the performance, but that was when $/L it was cheaper than 98 (but $/km was higher).

If $/L is now more expensive to get E85 than 98, it would not be worth it to me. The $/km must be astronomical in comparison.

Just petrol companies being petrol companies I guess.

greenMachine · Postby **greenMachine** » Thu Apr 16, 2020 6:28 pm

Perhaps you blokes haven't noticed, but ethanol is rather in demand at the moment ... :shock:

Red_Bullet · Postby **Red_Bullet** » Thu Apr 16, 2020 7:46 pm

greenMachine wrote:Perhaps you blokes haven't noticed, but ethanol is rather in demand at the moment ...

Yep, about 4 weeks ago I was telling the state government to divert ethanol from fuel production to steriliser production. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

Lokiel · Postby **Lokiel** » Thu Apr 16, 2020 7:57 pm

Red_Bullet wrote:Yep, about 4 weeks ago I was telling the state government to divert ethanol from fuel production to steriliser production. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

Several small alchohol manufacturers made that decision weeks ago, obviously the alchohol industry is more "switched-on" than government (and know where their best interests are).

bruce · Postby **bruce** » Thu Apr 16, 2020 8:16 pm

Good answer guys. Huge demand for ethanol now thus price goes up. Whereas ULP has no demand and keeps falling, YAY!

KevGoat · Postby **KevGoat** » Thu Apr 16, 2020 9:24 pm

Yup ULP 98 certainly dropped here today - at 97.9c!

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

ManiacLachy · Postby **ManiacLachy** » Fri Apr 17, 2020 10:54 am

I hadn't considered the increased demand on ethanol in other industries, good point!

bruce · Postby **bruce** » Fri Apr 17, 2020 11:53 am

KevGoat wrote:Yup ULP 98 certainly dropped here today - at 97.9c!

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Is that the 98RON price?! If so, what is 91RON?

KevGoat · Postby **KevGoat** » Fri Apr 17, 2020 12:03 pm

Think it was either 74.9 or 79.9, can't remember exactly, and just checking petrolspy it's back up today to 89.9 ULP and 109.9 for 98.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk