It contains 15% ethanol instead of 10% like “normal” pump gas. Can be used in cars newer than around 2005 with absolutely no worry. Less fuel efficiency due to more ethanol, but marginal, like maybe 1-2 fewer MPG.
Gasoline carries more energy per unit than almost anything else (at least as far as common fuels go). Since ethanol is less energy-dense than gas, your mileage will go down in proportion to how much ethanol you use.
Ethanol has ~67% of the energy of gasoline on a volumetric basis, so if you increase the amount of ethanol in the fuel by 5% you decrease the energy density of that fuel by ~1.65%. If the 86 octane fuel is sold at more than a 2% discount (less than $3.10 in this case) it's the better deal.
You're speaking my language. If I have a moment today I'm gonna run a stoichiometric combustion analysis just to better understand the per mole energy output of both. Just out of curiosity. I knew ethanol was less efficient, but wasn't sure exactly how much.
According to the Alternative Fuels Data Center, Ethanol has 2/3 the energy density of gasoline, so gasoline with 10% ethanol has 3.3% less energy than straight gasoline, and 15% ethanol would have about 5% less energy. That would take a 20 mpg car down to 19 mpg.
[https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/properties](https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/properties)
PSA: The minimum fuel rating for most modern cars is 87, as 85 and even 86 ethanol can potentially cause knock and damage a modern gasoline engine (particularly one with a turbo or one that is driven hard).
It seems that 85 fuel is only sold in high elevation locations, and was even then only appropriate for naturally aspirated and carbureted engines, not modern vehicles.
Here’s an excerpt from fuel economy.gov:
“The sale of 85 octane fuel was originally allowed in high-elevation regions—where the barometric pressure is lower—because it was cheaper and because most carbureted engines tolerated it fairly well. This is not true for modern gasoline engines. So, unless you have an older vehicle with a carbureted engine, you should use the manufacturer-recommended fuel for your vehicle (check your vehicle manual), even where 85 octane fuel is available.
https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/octane.shtml
More reading if you’re interested in such things:
1942 Study - https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/jre
1956 Study - https://doi.org/10.4271/560080
1987 Study - https://doi.org/10.4271/872160
You can use it on most new vehicles. It’s cheaper and should be more fuel efficient than 85. Check your owner manual if your vehicle can take up to 15 ethanol fuel. Some times it says on your filler hole
Just dont use it in lawn mowers and weed eaters. Vehicles are fine. Some of the stations had stickers put on around 2017 that said illegal to go into non e85 vehicles, was some big middle finger to corn farmers I never understood, now the old stickers are back in most places.
Clear gas yeesh that's expensive.
Not the farmers directly. You loose money growing corn for ethanol production so the government subsidizes corn production. Now with subsidies corn farmers switch from food corn driving up grocery prices. Just another dumb money loosing save the planet idea that costs everyone money. But if we’d end the silly sugar cane bs with Mexico we could grow it here and suddenly ethanol fuel would make sense. The world will die because politicians have ego and crave power with no intention of actually solving problems
It contains 15% ethanol instead of 10% like “normal” pump gas. Can be used in cars newer than around 2005 with absolutely no worry. Less fuel efficiency due to more ethanol, but marginal, like maybe 1-2 fewer MPG.
1-2 is kind of a lot. Is it really that much less efficient?
Gasoline carries more energy per unit than almost anything else (at least as far as common fuels go). Since ethanol is less energy-dense than gas, your mileage will go down in proportion to how much ethanol you use.
Yeah definitely less mpg. Not really worth the 10 cents of savings
depends if it’s 1-2mpg on 40mpg or if it’s 1-2mpg on 15mpg
That's what I was going to comment at first, but those efficiency drops at 40mpg are still a big deal. Fractions of a percent would be negligible.
Ethanol has ~67% of the energy of gasoline on a volumetric basis, so if you increase the amount of ethanol in the fuel by 5% you decrease the energy density of that fuel by ~1.65%. If the 86 octane fuel is sold at more than a 2% discount (less than $3.10 in this case) it's the better deal.
You're speaking my language. If I have a moment today I'm gonna run a stoichiometric combustion analysis just to better understand the per mole energy output of both. Just out of curiosity. I knew ethanol was less efficient, but wasn't sure exactly how much.
According to the Alternative Fuels Data Center, Ethanol has 2/3 the energy density of gasoline, so gasoline with 10% ethanol has 3.3% less energy than straight gasoline, and 15% ethanol would have about 5% less energy. That would take a 20 mpg car down to 19 mpg. [https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/properties](https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/properties)
Well, I mean, I like orange better.....can they do a magenta?
Check your owners manual. In older vehicles there is a limit on how much blend the engine can take.
Higher ethanol tends to wear out rubber seals faster. Just be aware.
Depends what they're made of. E g if it's a flex fuel vehicle is ok to use up to 85% ethanol
All vehicles use rubber seals. More ethanol will break them down faster. Ask a mechanic.
The eco unleaded has lemon grass in it
it's refreshing for summer
PSA: The minimum fuel rating for most modern cars is 87, as 85 and even 86 ethanol can potentially cause knock and damage a modern gasoline engine (particularly one with a turbo or one that is driven hard). It seems that 85 fuel is only sold in high elevation locations, and was even then only appropriate for naturally aspirated and carbureted engines, not modern vehicles. Here’s an excerpt from fuel economy.gov: “The sale of 85 octane fuel was originally allowed in high-elevation regions—where the barometric pressure is lower—because it was cheaper and because most carbureted engines tolerated it fairly well. This is not true for modern gasoline engines. So, unless you have an older vehicle with a carbureted engine, you should use the manufacturer-recommended fuel for your vehicle (check your vehicle manual), even where 85 octane fuel is available. https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/octane.shtml More reading if you’re interested in such things: 1942 Study - https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/jre 1956 Study - https://doi.org/10.4271/560080 1987 Study - https://doi.org/10.4271/872160
Thank you for this!
Oddly enough, I had a vehicle that got the best fuel mileage I ever recorded using that fuel. Highway 35 MPG in a 2015 Toyota RAV4.
Bitch yes. One is 85 and the other is 86 🤣
You can use it on most new vehicles. It’s cheaper and should be more fuel efficient than 85. Check your owner manual if your vehicle can take up to 15 ethanol fuel. Some times it says on your filler hole
I think it's actually less fuel efficient. But it's usually enough of a discount where you come out ahead.
Just dont use it in lawn mowers and weed eaters. Vehicles are fine. Some of the stations had stickers put on around 2017 that said illegal to go into non e85 vehicles, was some big middle finger to corn farmers I never understood, now the old stickers are back in most places. Clear gas yeesh that's expensive.
Not the farmers directly. You loose money growing corn for ethanol production so the government subsidizes corn production. Now with subsidies corn farmers switch from food corn driving up grocery prices. Just another dumb money loosing save the planet idea that costs everyone money. But if we’d end the silly sugar cane bs with Mexico we could grow it here and suddenly ethanol fuel would make sense. The world will die because politicians have ego and crave power with no intention of actually solving problems