If you’re looking to help the environment, I’m sure you’re starting to think about what it means to be going ethanol vs. gasoline.
Most cars can run on either fuel while some can only use one fuel or the other. Nevertheless, when you do have and choice, it is important to understand the advantages and disadvantages of ethanol and gasoline.
In this post, I am going to explain what ethanol and gasoline are and the scenarios where each is appropriate. By the end of my post, you should be able to decide what is best for your vehicle.
What Is E85 Fuel?
E85 is a flex fuel blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, or in short E85. E85 is primarily designed for flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs), which can run on any blend of gasoline and ethanol up to 85%. E85 is an alternative fuel that is typically derived from renewable sources, such as corn.
This type of blended fuel can have ethanol derived from various sources, e.g., fermented plant sugars (mostly corn and sugarcane) or waste-cellulose derived from wood processing or agricultural waste.
By substituting in locally-produced ethanol, you decrease dependence on imported petroleum in addition to aiding the farmers and industries that provided you with the ethanol.
Most gasoline sold in the U.S.A. contains a small amount of ethanol blended in, usually up to a maximum of 10 percent, this is typically called E10. So chances are, most of the time without you realizing it, when you fill your vehicle up with gasoline you are likely putting some level of ethanol into your vehicle.
The key difference with E85 is that the level of ethanol is greater, up to that maximum of 85 percent. The actual amount of ethanol in a given shipment of E85 can vary regionally and seasonally for a variety of reasons that may in part help ensure that a vehicle using the fuel will start in cold temperatures.
How Does E85 Work in a Vehicle?
Ethanol rich fuel like E85 enters the gas tank like any other gasoline type. From there, it travels through the fuel system to the cylinders, where it is burned (or combusted). The combustion process is essentially the same as running it on normal gasoline.
But as we stated before, not all vehicles were made to take a fuel blend with increased amounts of ethanol mixed in, and those that were made to take it are called flexible-fuel vehicles, flex-fuel vehicles for short, or FFV for absolute shortest; sometimes they are referred to as dual-fuel vehicles.
FFVs also have signals to measure the amount of ethanol present, as well as calibrations that can be adjusted for things like spark timing on-the-fly. FFV fuel systems use different materials which will ensure that the ethanol level won’t cause any destructiveness, as ethanol can potentially be corrosive to both plastic and metals.
What is Ethanol?
Ethanol is a biofuel produced from fermented plants. Fermentation often involves corn, or sugarcane, and can even include algae, or manure.
Ethanol is renewable, due to being derived from a set of living organisms, but there is still energy needed to create this renewable source. Ethanol is produced with a cleaner burn and better for the environment.
The E85 fuel is the most common ethanol fuel. E85 contains 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline.
What is Gasoline?
Gasoline is a blend of liquid, petroleum-based crude oil and other liquid additives mixed in as part of the refinement process to ensure usability in an ignition engine like an automobile. Often ethanol is part of that mix, in one way or another.
Depending on the supplier of the gas, there could also be additives or detergents.
In the United States, gas is generally about 10% ethanol and there are several levels of gas. Regular, Midgrade, and Premium.
These could be referred to as unleaded, super, or super premium, and they will also have varying octane ratings on the pump to tell which is which. The higher the octane, the higher the cost.
What Are the Differences Between Ethanol (E85) vs. Gasoline?
The biggest difference between ethanol (E85) and gasoline is overall efficiency. A gallon of ethanol contains less energy than a gallon of gasoline, and ultimately you can expect less fuel economy while operating your vehicle.
That’s a short and sweet answer to your question. Now let’s get into more detail about the reason for this.
#1. Energy Production.
Gasoline is known to produce more energy than ethanol. Because gasoline can produce more energy, gasoline can work to create maximum horsepower rating.
In fact, the difference is one gallon of standard gasoline creates one-third more energy than a gallon of ethanol. This is a pretty drastic difference. Due to the blended ratio of gasoline and ethanol (85% and 15% E85) the new fuel is thirty percent less powerful overall.
#2. Fuel Efficiency.
If you’re looking to maximize fuel economy ratings for your vehicle – you are going to see more performance with gasoline. Ethanol needs more energy to burn – your vehicle has to work harder.
As a result, you will have fewer miles per gallon on each tank when working through ethanol. You may realize between 15% and 27% fewer miles per gallon with ethanol vs gasoline.
#3. Engine/Fuel System Protection.
Ethanol is known to do damage to the engine and fuel system while gasoline adds protection and helps preserve these components of the vehicle. With ethanol – you have to worry about fuel separation and water absorbing damage because ethanol likes to absorb water.
If the vehicle sits for even a short period of time – these effects can become extreme. Lastly, ethanol is in fact a form of alcohol. It can cause corrosion, rusting, with any plastic or metal parts of the fuel system.
#4. Cost.
The cost of ethanol is very low in places that exist fairly close to where ethanol is produced. But even in places where ethanol is not produced – it is sometimes less expensive than a comparable gasoline.
But again, this cost needs to be analyzed in relation to the fuel factors we reviewed earlier. Even though you may be paying less at the pump today – how often will you refill because of the lower mile-per-gallon? How much damage will you suffer and spend for repairs later?
Pros and Cons of E85 Fuel
Pros
- E85 reduces reliance on foreign oil (and fossil fuel in general), resulting in both geological strength and lower shipping costs.
- E85 fuel has the potential to be lower environmentally because it is made from ethanol sourced from renewables, such as corn or sugarcane, wood or other renewable products.
- Because of the way the ethanol is sourced and manufactured, E85 can be less expensive than gasoline blends. Government subsidies, such as for corn producers, supplement production.
- Ethanol increases the octane rating of gasoline blends, as it is more resistant to engine knock, or pre-detonation of the fuel in the combustion chambers. Engine tuners can more easily pull more power from E85 flexible fuel when using vehicles with flex-fuel engines.
Cons
- Pure ethanol can bind to what it comes in contact with, including rust, gunk, unknown resins, and other dirt from previous fills, making it likely to clog your engine’s fuel filter faster. You will want to keep an eye on your fuel filter, especially anytime you change around your fuel type, such as moving from E10 to E85.
- Fuel mileage is going to be worse with E85 because it has less energy density than gasoline. You might be able to recoup that in savings with E85 vs. regular unleaded gas, but you will also be limiting your range in your vehicle.
- E85 is not as widely available as conventional fuel. so there will be the opportunity to fill up here and there, but not switch entirely to E85.
- Higher concentrations of ethanol in a fuel make them harder to use in colder temperatures. This is also why you see fuel availability and ethanol contents change in winter months and cold climates. This presents some considerations for someone like a recreational boater who fills up in a warm month and travels North.
- Ethanol does not actively “grab” water from the air, but it will absorb any liquid water that is present. This can ruin a fuel system that was not designed for that! Water can also be on your fuel if you did not properly check on a fuel, like adding it to a storage tank that was never cleaned of “water bottoms”, gunk, or other debris that collects over time.
Ethanol or Gasoline: What’s the Right Choice?
Rather than switching to gasoline, ethanol is a great choice if you wish to keep our environment clean and glowing. However, it will not be right for everyone.
At the moment, until the manufacturing of ethanol fuel is standardized and the infrastructure for it is upgraded, using ethanol fuel will be less convenient than it is to gasoline.
In the future,which will hopefully come sooner than later, these issues will be worked out and prices will have to standardized for a cleaner choice.
Will My Car Take Flex Fuel?
Flex-fuel manufacturers utilize modified internal combustion engines capable of burning either traditional gasoline or gasoline-ethanol blends, such as E85. A designation such as “Flex Fuel”, “FFV”, or “E85” on the back of the vehicle signifies that the car is compatible with this alternative fuel.
A yellow gas cap is a good way to indicate that the car will utilize flex fuel. For cars with a cap-less fuel filler there will typically be a yellow ring around the hole that the nozzle is inserted in, indicating that this car can accept E85.
You can use any octane level of gasoline in a flex-fuel vehicle, the FFV has sensors that will be able to interpret whether the fuel is either pure gasoline or 85% ethanol and change the fuel injection and timing of combustion accordingly.
Putting E85 fuel into a car which was not meant for flexible fuel can be damaging. Always refer to the owner’s manual for specifications on what fuel to use in your car.
Can You Use Regular Gas in a Flex-Fuel Vehicle?
The good news is that flex-fuel vehicles are able to run on regular gasoline. The way the engine works is it has sensors which measure the gasoline to ethanol ratio in the fuel and will make any necessary adjustments for optimal performance.
Can You Use Flex-Fuel in a Regular Gas Car?
Flex-fuel, like E85, can only be used in flex-fuel vehicles and could damage a normal gasoline engine.
Does E85 Burn Faster?
E85 does burn faster. If we compare the gasoline energy content with the ethanol in E85 it has roughly 33% less energy. What this means is a car running on E85 will use more fuel than running on gasoline so it will produce fewer miles per gallon.