The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently extended the dual-fuel credit for fuel economy through model-year 2008. The dual-fuel rule, which was created by the Alternative Motor Fuels Act of 1988, offers incentives for automakers to develop dual-fuel vehicles with better fuel economy.
The goal is to encourage the use of ethanol to reduce the country’s reliance on imported oil. According to NHTSA, some 3.4 million dual-fuel vehicles have been produced so far, but growth is limited in that there are only 182 outlets in the nation that offer E-85 fuel, an alternative fuel that is a blend of gasoline and ethanol.
