Unleaded 88 brings major savings at the pump
Written by Jonathan Eisenthal
By a conservative estimate, Minnesota motorists have saved $80 million by using Unleaded 88 (also known as E15), rather than standard 87 octane gasoline. That savings is growing as the 15 percent ethanol blend becomes more widely available and the price difference with conventional gasoline broadens.
“A growing number of filling stations have added Unleaded 88,” Devin Hoffarth said. As Market Development & Industry Relations Director for Minnesota Corn, Hoffarth has offered technical assistance and encouragement to station owners who want to take part in this trend. In April 2025, 514 stations out of the statewide total of 2,064 offer this cleaner burning and more economical fuel, or about 25%. Hoffarth estimates that 93 stations will add Unleaded 88 this year.
When the fuel was first offered, it retailed for about 6 cents less than 87 octane, but last year Unleaded 88 sold for an average of 18 cents less per gallon.
The rapid growth in fueling locations comes in part from the State of Minnesota’s Biofuels Infrastructure program, which provides $3 million a year in grants to station owners to share the cost of new dispensers.
Kwik Trip has been a major participant in the trend, offering Unleaded 88 at most of their locations, and representing approximately 40 percent of the stations that offer the fuel in Minnesota. The company has reported that, as of February 2025, it had sold 1.5 billion gallons of Unleaded 88.
Almost all the cars on Minnesota’s roads can fuel with Unleaded 88—cars built in the year 2001 and later have the proper engine and fuel line fittings for this higher ethanol blend, so the growth in its use, and the savings that brings, will continue to grow.
“Unleaded 88 is helping Minnesota motorists keep more money in their wallets,” Hoffarth said. “And as a whole, our ethanol industry adds $2.1 billion to the state’s GDP and supports thousands of jobs.
