ACE Compares AAA's E15, Low-Octane Fuel Responses

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The American Coalition for Ethanol has reacted to the American Automobile Association’s criticism of E15 by comparing and contrasting the organization’s response to E15 with that of its response to the sale of 85 octane gas in South Dakota. In a Jan. 7 letter to AAA President and CEO Robert Darbelnet, ACE Senior Vice President Ron Lamberty accuses the organization of being biased in favor of Big Oil.

...In a statement released in December, AAA noted that one of its primary concerns associated with E15 is how use of the fuel may impact vehicle warrantees since the fuel may not comply with fuel requirements specified in owner’s manuals.

Lamberty, however, stresses that AAA’s didn’t even publically respond to the sale and use of low octane gas in South Dakota. “Unlike the alarm it issued when E15 was available for purchase in a handful of stations,” Lamberty said. “AAA offered no warning about an untested un-approved fuel that is already in use in literally thousands of gas stations. AAA has not advised motorists that they should be very careful when buying gasoline in South Dakota. AAA said nothing about the possibility that vehicle warranties would be voided by using sub-octane fuel that doesn’t comply with the information in their owners’ manuals.”

In fact, Lamberty points out that in 2007, the AAA actually recommended that motorists try the substandard fuel, but to switch to higher octane fuel if they hear engine pinging. “Rather than warn people about the non-compliant fuel made by oil companies, AAA said essentially ‘use it until it hurts.’ READ MORE and MORE (Renewable Fuels Association)