|
UP / Thumb of Michigan | Last GM pickup I ordered was like the last few- flex fuel capable. That would have been in about 2017 or so- can't recall exactly when now. Dealer knew I was very friendly Ethanol, was ordering anything I was buying as well as putting a hard sell on other customers to order Flex fuel vehicles when they were available.
So, had a pick up showing up in July. He calls, says its in. OK, I'll be in tomorrow. He calls late in the day. Got a problem. Its not Flex fuel capable. WTH? I ask. He says he doesn't know, the guy that orders wasn't there but he was going to catch hell in the morning for that screw up. I turned the pick up down, he knew I would. Next day, he calls back. He'd spent 20 minutes giving the order guy the business for screwing up. Order guy hasn't ordered a non flex fuel capable vehicle in a long time. Mine was ordered flex fuel capable. So, they call GM. Whats up? That guy wasn't sure either, all he could find out was that somewhere above him, they were told to quit building flex fuel 1/2 ton pickups.
So- I knew the guy running the corn promotion program in Michigan at that time. He was as surprised as I was. He felt he'd had a very good relationship with the Big 3, this deal blindsided him. Still seemed to be a weird deal. Ford was still going to offer Flex Fuel pickups, the other 2 were out. Took the corn guy 6 months to find out- seems simple now. Have to know what questions to ask I guess.
CAFE standards was the culprit. They claim they'd been giving the manufacturers a break on company MPG ratings if they were selling Flex Fuel vehicles. Someone at the agency decided that everyone who bought a Flex fuel vehicle was using E 85, therefore lowering the manufacturers overall economy ratings. They changed their mind on their supposed favoritism to ethanol, said the manufacturers had XXX days to get fuel economy up. Eliminating Flex fuel vehicles was the easiest way to make that happen.
Like anything else- a bureaucrat can make your life great, or they can pull the rug. If theres blame to lay, it really should be directed at the folks who run the CAFE standards office. I don't know that it would do any good, and I'm positive that somewhere in the background of that ruling, big oil is lurking. Going to be a big hill to climb to get that all turned around- and not to get political, but thats going to be tough to accomplish given the current sentiment in the WH.
Edited by pat-michigan 2/19/2026 07:14
| |
|
Flex fuel vehicles and check off dollars