DES MOINES, IA – Iowa Governor Chet Culver announced Aug. 7 that Iowa State Patrol will eventually replace all its vehicles with ones that can run on a mix of gasoline that’s 85-percent ethanol, according to the Web site www.radioiowa.com.

Culver said there are now 10 E-85 vehicles in the Iowa State Patrol fleet, with another 119 on order. He said the move to E-85 follows his executive order to increase the use of the corn-based fuel in all state vehicles. The order sets a use level of flex-fuel vehicles of 65 percent by 2009.

Public Safety Commissioner Gene Meyer said the old patrol cars will be replaced with the new flex-fuel cars as they are taken out of the fleet, according to www.radioiowa.com. The vehicles are generally taken off the road when they hit 95,000 miles, and the 119 vehicles on order will replace the old vehicles. The State patrol has a total fleet of 725 vehicles.

There are 71 gas stations that carry E-85 in the state. Troopers will get a list of E-85 stations and purchase the fuel when it is available.