From the February 2007 Issue Ethanol Producer Magazine (http://www.ethanolproducer.com)
E85 Kits: No Stamp of Approval Yet
By Ron Kotrba
The topic of E85 kits comes up often in the ethanol industry. While the concept
is admirable, there are reasons to view these products and the accompanying
marketing hype with critical eyes. The most obvious critique is that by
installing such a conversion kit infractions are made against federal and state
codes. Makers of these products need to show emissions data when running blends
of ethanol in vehicles outfitted with their devices. A company named Intelligent
Ethanol Systems has a conversion kit it touts as being the only one of its kind
to gain OBD II (Onboard Diagnostics) approval by the U.S. EPA. Sources in the
agency tell EPM this isn’t hard to accomplish and means “very little” until a
Certificate of Conformity is granted, which would require a “terrific amount of
work.” Until then, however, anyone whose vehicle is subject to routine emissions
testing for yearly inspections may be unhappy with their results. Until real
data is provided, it’s a guessing game.
Bill Smith, CEO of XcelPlus International Inc., tells EPM his company’s device
for E85 adaptation, FlexTek, is moving ahead for similar EPA approval, and more.
“We have hired a lobbyist to help us with the EPA, and we are working on
possibly getting [California Air Resources Board] approval,” Smith says. “No one
has yet to get a legit approval, as it literally takes an act of Congress. Our
lobbyist has gotten several congressmen and women, and other legislators, to
sign a letter for the EPA to let us pass the first- stage testing—then go to
market.”
Until a device gains full approval, “which is not going to be easy to do,” EPA
sources say, there are reasons to question how proven the performances of these
kits really are in emissions output and operability. Last month’s Flex Factor
addressed Ford Motor Company’s operability issues with model year 2004 to 2006
Tauruses with flexible-fuel packages, specifically with the fuel management
system tailored for high blends of ethanol. Original equipment manufacturers
aren’t perfect, but they have to conform to test standards that have been put in
place to prove within certain ranges the performance of particular products
under specified conditions. If OEMs like Ford are susceptible to these technical
intricacies, how can consumers be sure aftermarket conversion kits will operate
properly?
Intelligent Ethanol Systems’ Web site posts a link to the EPA approval letter
for its product, but also offers visitors the following text in lieu of reading
the EPA’s letter: “Because there are several technical aspects to this and
because the letter comes from the government, it may seem a little convoluted or
confusing to some people. In layman’s terms, the letter simply states we are
approved for OBD II on all makes and models up to year 2006, and that we’re
still subject to standard emissions testing.”
The EPA letter, dated Oct. 5, 2006, states: “The [EPA] Compliance and Innovative
Strategies Division has reviewed the data supplied by Intelligent Ethanol
Systems. Representations made in the application and in subsequent e-mail
communications indicate that all monitors are functional, but there is no data
describing the level of functionality. Approval is therefore given with the
following [four] deficiencies: fuel trim [leanness or richness of fuel, or
fuel/air ratios], catalyst, misfire [and] oxygen sensor. These deficiencies will
have to be removed in subsequent model years, i.e. Intelligent Ethanol Systems
must show the level of tailpipe emissions when the MIL is illuminated.” MIL is
an acronym for malfunction indicator light, which is more commonly referred to
as the “check engine” light.
Intelligent Ethanol Systems declined to comment at press time.