Just wondering, and I admit I am no petroleum expert here, but how does adding ethanol to gasoline affect it’s combustion efficiency? Does it even run better, because if it does not, it’s a practical reason not to up the blend of ethanol within gasoline.
However, either replacing gasoline with natural gas or some other source would be a major overhaul of the infrastructure, and would need some serious citizen petitioning in order to work.
Ethanol is an environmental disaster. Corn is soaking up precious underground water and the fuel to farm and fertilize it is unbelievable. Then the crap eats up your engine because there is WATER IN ETHANOL!! Stop this madness!!
Ethanol reduces the combustion potential of gasoline. It also can increase the possibility of engine damage due to lower combustion temperatures in the cylinders.
It’s less efficient and it will ruin your engine. Other than that, it’s awesome!
answer: price up, mileage down
It doesn't. Ethanol actually reduces miles per gallon of fuel because its energy density is lower than petroleum gasoline. It does increase octane number, but that is an index related to engine knock, not efficiency. Other gasoline blend components can increase octane just as much without diminishing miles per gallon.
The ostensible reasons for the ethanol mandate are related to energy security, international trade economics, and environment. The benefits claimed are all controversial and, from my study, dubious at best. We all know the real reasons for the ethanol mandate and subsidies. WRT natural gas powered cars: these are feasible, but your trunk will be occupied by a much larger fuel tank filled with heavy, high-pressure natural gas. The USPS trucks here in North Texas are dual fuel, but the USPS discontinued using natural gas for fuel here even though prices now are relatively low. It didn't work for them even though they fill up at same place for motor gasoline or natural gas.
Ethanol has a higher Octane Rating, but much lower heat capacity per gallon. So your car will not be as prone to knock ( now that there’s no lead antiknock in gasoline). With the lower heat content, to produce the same power as it would with straight gasoline, your car’s computer has to add fuel to maintain the power level. This is what’s so stupid about ethanol. It takes more energy to produce it and it takes more of it to propel you down the road. Expect to get 10% lower milage with 10% ethanol blend and 15% less with a 15% mix. Also, it was an expensive proposition for the automakers because ethanol is corrosive to many of the parts in the engine’s fuel system. Also some elastomers ( used for seals) had to be changed along with a more sophisticated engine management system that has the ability to determine the ethanol blend currently in use. On top of these negatives, ethanol production is driving up the price of corn so food and beef are more expensive What a government!!!
It takes 1.29 gal. of gas/diesel to make 1 gal. of ethanol.
1 gal. of gasoline has 115,000 BTU vs. 84,000 BTU for a gal. of ethanol. Ethanol is a losing game.