MI: Ashland to Replace Its California Fleet With Methanol Cars

Ashland to Replace Its California Fleet With Methanol Cars

NEWS RELEASE

WASHINGTON (Sept. 30, 1996) — Ashland Chemical, Inc. has begun replacing its entire corporate fleet of cars in California with methanol Ford Taurus Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFVs). The company is a member of the Methanol Institute, the Washington-based trade association for the methanol industry.

Effective with the 1997 model year, which began on September 1, Ashland Chemical will only requisition methanol Taurus FFVs for replacement vehicles for its fleet of approximately 40 cars in California. The company expects to purchase about 20 Taurus FFVs during the current model year. The Taurus FFV runs on M-85 (a blend of 85% methanol and 15% unleaded gasoline), or any mixture of the two in the same tank.

"Ashland Chemical is not being mandated to buy alternative fuel vehicles. They are doing it because it makes sense and will help clean the air we breathe," said Methanol Institute President Raymond A. Lewis. "As a methanol producer, Ashland knows that methanol is an excellent vehicle fuel. The company is saving money by buying Ford Taurus FFVs with a sticker price of $345 less than the conventional gasoline-powered model. For fleet operators like Ashland, California's extensive network of methanol fueling stations makes the state an ideal location to switch over to methanol."

"Ashland is proud to support clean air initiatives such as the utilization of methanol flexible fuel vehicles in California," said Ashland Chemical's Petrochemical Division Vice President and General Manager Carol Eicher. "We believe M-85 offers an excellent fueling alternative in terms of infrastructure, cost and performance."

The majority of methanol Taurus FFVs sold are placed into service in California. Since the early 1980s, the State of California has pioneered the development and introduction of flexible fuel vehicles. Today, in California over 13,000 methanol FFVs serve in federal, state and municipal governments fleets, corporate fleets, rental car fleets, and are driven by hundreds of individual consumers. The 1997 Ford Taurus FFVs are targeted to meet California's TLEV standards, offering significantly reduced tailpipe exhaust emissions.

To serve these vehicles, an extensive network of public methanol refueling stations stretches from Los Angeles to Sacramento, including a station in Yosemite National Park. This methanol fueling infrastructure was established by the California Energy Commission in cooperation with the State's major gasoline retailers. In addition, more than 50 private fueling stations are operated in California by individual fleet operators.

Outside of California, there are an additional 40 methanol fueling stations located in 14 states and Canada. This includes 9 methanol stations operated by the New York State Thruway Authority at maintenance areas located along the length of the highway from the Tappan Zee Bridge to Buffalo.

Ashland Chemical, based in Columbus, Ohio, produces methanol at its facility in Plaquemine, Louisiana, and is the largest distributor of chemicals and plastics in North America, and a leading supplier of specialty chemicals worldwide. The company is a subsidiary of Ashland Inc. a large energy and chemical company, which produces Valvoline motor oils and markets gasoline at the retail level under the SuperAmerica and Ashland brand names.

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