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E85 price! (April 2020)

Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2020 3:55 pm
by MikeVictor
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.

Re: E85 price! (April 2020)

Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2020 4:37 pm
by ManiacLachy
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.

Yes, it is ethanol

Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2020 6:28 pm
by greenMachine
Perhaps you blokes haven't noticed, but ethanol is rather in demand at the moment ... :shock:

:mrgreen:

Re: Yes, it is ethanol

Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2020 7:46 pm
by Red_Bullet
greenMachine wrote:Perhaps you blokes haven't noticed, but ethanol is rather in demand at the moment ... :shock:

:mrgreen:


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.

Re: Yes, it is ethanol

Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2020 7:57 pm
by Lokiel
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).

Re: E85 price! (April 2020)

Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2020 8:16 pm
by bruce
Good answer guys. Huge demand for ethanol now thus price goes up. Whereas ULP has no demand and keeps falling, YAY!

Re: E85 price! (April 2020)

Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2020 9:24 pm
by KevGoat
Yup ULP 98 certainly dropped here today - at 97.9c!

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Re: E85 price! (April 2020)

Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2020 10:54 am
by ManiacLachy
I hadn't considered the increased demand on ethanol in other industries, good point!

Re: E85 price! (April 2020)

Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2020 11:53 am
by bruce
KevGoat wrote:Yup ULP 98 certainly dropped here today - at 97.9c!

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

Re: E85 price! (April 2020)

Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2020 12:03 pm
by KevGoat
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.

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Re: E85 price! (April 2020)

Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2020 3:24 pm
by bruce
Wow again. That is so much cheaper than Melbourne, by around 20%.

Re: E85 price! (April 2020)

Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2020 5:40 pm
by KevGoat
Well if it helps any, since this morning it's now gone up to 115.9 U91 and 135.9 for 98.

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Re: E85 price! (April 2020)

Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2020 1:46 pm
by GR124
In Maitland NSW the E85 seems to never change in price. In the last two years $1.41

Re: E85 price! (April 2020)

Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2020 2:03 pm
by bruce
I'd love to do a bit of arbitrage with fuels due to its volatility (in price).

Re: E85 price! (April 2020)

Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2020 2:31 pm
by Mr Morlock
no surprise fuel prices fluctuate-thats a given- I have seen 91 at around $1 a litre last week but hardly driving the car so its not saving me money.