Gas prices are insane. As of September 2026, the average price of a gallon of gas in the United States was $4.33. That goes up to $6.40 if you live in Los Angeles like me.
With how insane the gas prices are, some people have been getting a bit creative. Recently, a TikTok video went viral of a guy showing up at the gas station, expressing shock at the gas prices (relatable), then using E85.
At this particular gas station, E85 was $3, $1.50 less than regular gas.
Is E85 actually worth using in your car?
@blockedup904E85 Meeeeeeee ! Flex Fuel for the win 🫡 For a trick I barely drive, I don’t give a fuck if it burn faster! One full tank will last me two weeks 🤷🏾♂️ Mind your Pockets !♬ original sound – Blockedup904
It’s very tempting to go with the cheapest gas at the pump when things are this expensive. However, this video is likely rage bait.
At least, it annoyed me.
E85 isn’t interchangeable with regular gasoline and may even damage your vehicle. E85 contains 51% to 83% ethanol and is a blend specifically for flexible-fuel vehicles (FFVs). If you don’t own an FFV (you can find out here), you could risk corrosion and wear after long-term use. It will eventually break down various fuel system components.
Well… What if you risk it just once? I am going to assume the vehicle will live. However, it’s not even worth the risk. E85 has less energy per gallon than gasoline (E85 with 83% ethanol gets 27% less energy per gallon). This means you will get far less mileage out of it.
I’m bad with math, but this means the $3 isn’t actually a good deal, since you may lose a lot of mileage and need to fill up a lot sooner. You’d need to check your usual gas mileage, then compare it to the mileage you’d get with E85 to see if it even pays off financially.
Some TikTok comments advised drivers to “mix” E85 with regular gas to use it without issues. But this is probably not even worth the effort, to be honest.
Right now, E85 is priced between $2.95 and $3.32 per gallon in the United States. It’s tempting, but it could lead to more fill-ups and even costly maintenance. Which means, not worth it.
