It comes as no surprise that the lowest-cost fuel in California is also the state’s fastest-growing liquid fuel, the Renewable Fuels Association said Tuesday at an event in Sacramento spotlighting the importance of the lower-carbon E85 Flex Fuel blend, which hit a record 103.5 million gallons sold in the state in 2022.

“Gas prices are on the rise again in California, and drivers are seeking out options at the pump that are both more affordable and better for the environment; E85 definitely checks both of those boxes,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “American-made E85 is a low-carbon, low-cost liquid fuel that is growing in popularity and availability. The fuel substantially reduces greenhouse gas emissions compared to gasoline and helps insulate our nation’s fuel supply from the whims of the OPEC cartel and Russia. The record sales volume for E85 in 2022 clearly shows that, when the blend is made available and effectively promoted, FFV drivers will absolutely respond.”

RFA was joined at the busy suburban station by Propel Fuels, which provides E85 at many locations in the area. “Propel launched E85 in the Sacramento region in 2007,” said Rob Elam, Propel Fuels CEO. “It's been an incredible journey to see E85 go from zero gallons sold to over 100 million gallons in 2022. It's now the fastest-growing fuel in California. We expect to see exponential growth as Propel expands its E85 wholesale offering across the west coast and beyond.”

This week’s gas price update from the Energy Information Administration shows that prices for regular gasoline averaged $4.68 per gallon in California last week, up more than $0.50 per gallon since the beginning of the year.

E85 typically sells for 25 to 40 percent less in California. At the location where the Tuesday news conference was held, lower-carbon E85 sold for $2.99 per gallon, compared to $4.69 for regular unleaded. The blend is now available at more than 340 locations across the state, and more than 1.2 million vehicles on the road in California are flex-fuel.