Annual Unleaded 88 sales in Minnesota reached a new milestone in 2024 with 142.75 million gallons sold, an increase of 11.63 percent from the previous record of 127.87 million gallons in 2023. Unleaded 88 is a gasoline fuel blend containing 15 percent ethanol, and available to consumers at over 500 retail locations across the state.
Data from the Minnesota Department of Commerce shows Unleaded 88 had an average price discount of 17 cents per gallon to regular 87 octane fuel in 2024.
Annual Unleaded 88 sales in Minnesota first broke the 100-million-gallon barrier in 2022, with 105.5 million gallons sold. That year, monthly Unleaded 88 sales exceeded 10-million-gallons only once.
Since then, Unleaded 88 sales in the state have steadily broken new records. In 2023, the monthly average volume was 10.65 million gallons.
In 2024, monthly Unleaded 88 sales exceeded the 12-million-gallon mark five times and the volume sold in May (12.69 million gallons) is currently the highest recorded.
In December 2024, sales totaled 11.98 million gallons, 5.76 percent higher than the volume sold in December 2023 (11.33 million gallons).
The growth in sales has coincided with the growth in stations offering Unleaded 88. Last year, Minnesota became the first state in the nation to have over 500 Unleaded 88 stations.
Among the brands that currently offer Unleaded 88 in the state include Amoco, ARCO, Bobby & Steve’s, Casey’s, Cenex, Freeborn County Co-Op, Holiday, Hy-Vee, Kwik Trip, Little Dukes, Love’s, Marathon, Minnoco and Speedway.
As of Feb 12, there are 512 stations in Minnesota that offer Unleaded 88.
In 2024, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture awarded $3 million in infrastructure grants to 16 retailers while another $3.37 million was made available in grant funding for stations interested in offering Unleaded 88. On the federal side, the USDA awarded $17.5 million in 2024 to stations in Minnesota to install the necessary upgrades to offer Unleaded 88.
According to a study by ABF Economics in 2023, transitioning to Unleaded 88 from E10 (87 octane) would contribute $1.06 billion to Minnesota’s economy.