Cheaper gas alternative coming to California — sort of

In response to California having the highest gas prices in the country, state lawmakers have approved a bill that would lift regulations around E85 converter kits, devices allowing cars to run on a cheaper ethanol-gas blend. 

Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom, who authored Assembly Bill 2046, dubbed “The Access to Affordable Gas Act,” would lift the current restriction on the conversion kits and provide “families greater flexibility and more affordable choices at the pump.” 

“E85, a blend of ethanol and gasoline, is a low carbon fuel option that typically costs less per gallon than regular gasoline,” Ransom said during a committee hearing. “For commuters and working families, it offers a practical way to save money. Yet California remains the only state that prohibits the use of proven US EPA approved E85 conversion kits, limiting access to this affordable fuel option.” 

The bill, which passed the Assembly on a 72-0 vote, would exempt E85 manufacturers from having to get approval by the California Air Resources Board while leaving in place the federal certification process, according to CalMatters. 

The kits cost around $800 and can be installed at home according to a legislative analysis of the bill, and allows drivers to fill their cars with both gasoline and E85. 

The ethanol-blend fuel is largely made from Midwest corn and is shielded from oil spikes that shock the market and drive prices up, selling for approximately $2 less per gallon in past price hikes, the outlet reported. 

While E85 might be cheaper, it provides 20%-30% fewer miles per gallon, and only about 3% of the state’s 15,000 fuel stations sell the ethanol-blend, according to the paper. 

In addition, there is debate on how clean E85 really is — despite the California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard rating it a better alternative to gasoline, critics argue the environmental push is exaggerated given how much emissions are released from producing the corn. 

“For some people, it may not be a wise choice, but at least now it’s going to be a choice,” Ransom told the paper.

Governor Gavin Newsom has blamed the spike at the pump on President Donald Trump and the war in Iran, while critics point the finger to the state’s strict environmental regulatory policy that has forced oil refineries to close and stifled domestic production. 

As of Tuesday, gas prices in California hovered around $6.11 per gallon, more than a $1.50 above the national average at $4.49. 

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