<P> In 1896, Henry Ford designed his first car, the "Quadricycle" to run on pure ethanol . In 1908, the revolutionary Ford Model T was capable of running on gasoline, ethanol or a combination . Ford continued to advocate for ethanol fuel even during the prohibition, but lower prices caused gasoline to prevail . </P> <P> Gasoline containing up to 10% ethanol began a decades - long growth in the United States in the late 1970s . The demand for ethanol produced from field corn was spurred by the discovery that methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) was contaminating groundwater . MTBE's use as an oxygenate additive was widespread due to mandates in the Clean Air Act amendments of 1992 to reduce carbon monoxide emissions . MTBE in gasoline had been banned in almost 20 states by 2006 . Suppliers were concerned about potential litigation and a 2005 court decision denying legal protection for MTBE . MTBE's fall from grace opened a new market for ethanol, its primary substitute . Corn prices at the time were around US $2 a bushel . Farmers saw a new market and increased production . This demand shift took place at a time when oil prices were rising . </P> <P> The steep growth in twenty - first century ethanol consumption was driven by federal legislation aimed to reduce oil consumption and enhance energy security . The Energy Policy Act of 2005 required use of 7.5 × 10 ^ US gal (28 × 10 ^ m) of renewable fuel by 2012, and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 raised the standard, to 36 × 10 ^ US gal (140 × 10 ^ m) of annual renewable fuel use by 2022 . Of this requirement, 21 × 10 ^ US gal (79 × 10 ^ m) had to be advanced biofuels, defined as renewable fuels that reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="4"> U.S. fuel ethanol production and imports (2000--2011) (Millions of U.S. liquid gallons) </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Year </Th> <Th> Production </Th> <Th> Imports </Th> <Th> Demand </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2000 </Td> <Td> 1,630 </Td> <Td> n / a </Td> <Td> n / a </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1,770 </Td> <Td> n / a </Td> <Td> n / a </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2002 </Td> <Td> 2,130 </Td> <Td> 46 </Td> <Td> 2,085 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2003 </Td> <Td> 2,800 </Td> <Td> 61 </Td> <Td> 2,900 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> 3,400 </Td> <Td> 161 </Td> <Td> 3,530 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2005 </Td> <Td> 3,904 </Td> <Td> 135 </Td> <Td> 4,049 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2006 </Td> <Td> 4,855 </Td> <Td> 653 </Td> <Td> 5,377 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2007 </Td> <Td> 6,500 </Td> <Td> 450 </Td> <Td> 6,847 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2008 </Td> <Td> 9,000 </Td> <Td> 556 </Td> <Td> 9,637 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2009 </Td> <Td> 10,600 </Td> <Td> 193 </Td> <Td> 10,940 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> 13,230 </Td> <Td> 10 </Td> <Td> 13,184 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2011 </Td> <Td> 13,900 </Td> <Td> 160 </Td> <Td> n / a </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="4"> Note: Demand figures includes stocks change and small exports in 2005 . (1) Exports in 2011 reached a record 1,100 billion gal . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="4"> Graph of monthly production and net imports of fuel ethanol in the U.S. 1993--2012 . Data from EIA </Td> </Tr> </Table>

When did they start putting ethanol in gasoline