E85 vs Gasoline: Fuel Economy, Cost Per Mile & Real Savings
Compare the real-world costs of E85 versus regular gasoline for your vehicle. Learn how to calculate cost per mile and determine if E85 saves you money.
Find E85 flex fuel stations throughout Minnesota. Use the interactive map below to locate stations near you.
Excellent E85 coverage! Stations are widely available throughout the state.
Explore verified station listings, retailer details, and pricing context for the busiest E85 markets in Minnesota.
Minnesota isn't just the best state for E85—it's in a league of its own. With 388 stations offering E85, the Land of 10,000 Lakes has held the #1 spot for over two decades. For flex fuel vehicle owners, Minnesota is as good as it gets.
The answer lies in corn, policy, and genuine cultural commitment. Minnesota introduced ethanol into transportation fuel in 1997—eight years before federal requirements. The state mandates E10 in all gasoline and became the first to require B20 biodiesel during summer months.
Minnesota's 18 ethanol plants produce over 1.4 billion gallons annually, ranking 5th nationally. Ten of these plants are farmer-owned cooperatives, meaning profits flow directly back to rural communities. The Minnesota Corn Growers Association has invested over $30 million in ethanol infrastructure.
E85 enjoys a favorable tax rate of just $0.2025 per gallon versus $0.285 for regular gasoline. Minnesota Executive Orders 04-10 and 06-03 require state employees operating flex-fuel vehicles to use E85 whenever reasonably available—a mandate the state has maintained across administrations. The AGRI Biofuels Infrastructure Grant Program continues adding stations, with nearly $9.5 million awarded since 2021.
Coverage is exceptional across the state. Kwik Trip, Holiday/Circle K, and Casey's offer E85 at numerous locations. The Minnoco brand—created specifically to promote Minnesota biofuels—pioneered E15 availability in 2013. I-94 alone has 85+ E85 stations from the Wisconsin border to North Dakota.
Interstate highway coverage is outstanding across I-94, I-35, and I-90 corridors. Twin Cities metro residents find E85 within minutes virtually anywhere.
Minnesota's E85 typically runs $0.70-$0.80 cheaper per gallon than regular gas—among the best spreads nationally. The break-even point is around 20% discount—Minnesota consistently exceeds this.
For FFV owners, Minnesota represents the gold standard—reliable availability, competitive pricing, and a state genuinely invested in ethanol's future. E85 content varies seasonally for cold-weather reliability.
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Minnesota enacted the nation's first state ethanol mandate in 1997 and has followed up with a continuous string of infrastructure grants and state-fleet use requirements. The state currently has about 450 public E85 stations — second only to California — supported by 19+ ethanol plants producing roughly 1.3 billion gallons per year. The regional brand Kwik Trip and the Minnesota-specific Minnoco banner are especially prominent on the pump.
Yes. Executive Orders 04-10 (2004) and 06-03 (2006) require state employees operating flex-fuel vehicles to use E85 whenever it is reasonably available, and state agencies must develop infrastructure to support E85 and biodiesel. This fleet demand helps sustain Minnesota's dense E85 station network.
Yes. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture's AGRI Biofuels Infrastructure Grant provides up to $199,000 per retailer to install or upgrade equipment dispensing E15 through E85, with a 35% cost share and eligibility limited to operators of 20 or fewer retail dispensing stations. Federal support via the Section 30C tax credit is also available for property placed in service by June 30, 2026.
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