During the Ethanol Vehicle Challenge, General Motors Corporation announced its sport utility vehicles will soon be produced as flexible fuel vehicles, meaning they are capable of operating on up to 85 percent ethanol (E85). Beginning in model year 2002, all Chevrolet Suburbans and Tahoes and GMC Yukons and Yukon XLs equipped with the Vortec 5.3 liter V8 engine will be produced as Flexible Fuel Vehicles. The new Chevrolet Avalanche with the standard 5.3 liter V8 engine will also be capable of operating on E85.

The sport utility vehicles are just the latest flexible fuel vehicles to be offered by General Motors, which currently produces the Chevy S-10 and GMC Sonoma pickup trucks as flexible fuel vehicles. "E85 is a viable alternative to gasoline where it is available. It is a renewable fuel that can be produced from grain or agricultural waste, and that makes it very attractive," said Thomas Stephens, General Motors vice president and group director of engineering, General Motors Truck Group.