Ethanol is the word of the day in Saluda, Va. This small and quiet fishing community is home of XcelPlus International Inc., the company that makes the FlexTek, a small black box that makes it possible to burn E85 ethanol in an existing car or truck.
Ethanol fuel stations, commonplace in Brazil where the FlexTek was designed, are popping up all across the United States. Small mom-and-pop fuel station owners and large suppliers are opting to replace their mid-grade gasoline with E85. The appeal of the fuel in the U.S. stems from a desire to move away from dependence on the Middle East as well as the fuel’s inherently clean burning characteristics.
Until recently, the renewable fuel was useful only to those owning a factory-built flex-fuel vehicle. However, these vehicles are few in number, as availability has been limited primarily to fleets and municipalities. But the FlexTek lets almost any car or truck owner choose between E85, gasoline or any blend of the two.
“Our system is unique because we have the only system that can convert a standard vehicle into a flex-fuel vehicle while simultaneously protecting the engine from the acids that can...