Sacramento Business Journal

A promotion by ethanol and biodiesel retailer Propel Fuels on Wednesday led to a record number of customer at its five fueling stations in Sacramento, Rocklin, Citrus Heights and Elk Grove.

Propel offered E-85 ethanol for 85 cents a gallon, down from a typical retail price of $2.39 a gallon, at each of its stations. Propel estimates it served about 5,000 vehicles during Wednesday’s promotion between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., or close to six times the amount of traffic the company typically sees at its stations, the company said.

Of those, about half were filling up with renewable fuels for the first time.

Propel Fuels estimates that drivers saved more than $10,000 on fuel and cut carbon emissions by about 30,000 pounds.

While hundreds of drivers bought the 85-cent fuel, Propel Fuels estimates there are as many as 25,000 flexible-fuel vehicles in Sacramento. Numerous cars and trucks from Chevrolet, Ford, Dodge, Jeep, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan and Toyota are E-85 compatible.

Propel Fuels offered the discounted fuel to highlight the cost savings and environmental benefits of E-85, an alternative motor fuel blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.

Propel Fuels moved its headquarters to Sacramento from Seattle last year. Besides its retail stations in the Sacramento region, Propel has six stations in Washington.

Propel Fuels recently announced $20 million in private financing that will enable the company to expand its network of alternative fueling stations to major markets across California.