E85

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File:E85 logo.png
Logo used in the United States for E85 fuel

E85 is an alcohol fuel mixture that typically contains a mixture of up to 85% denatured fuel ethanol and gasoline or other hydrocarbon by volume. On an undenatured basis, the ethanol component ranges from 70% to 83%. E85 as a fuel is widely used in Sweden and is becoming increasingly common in the United States, mainly in the Midwest where corn is a major crop and is the primary source material for ethanol fuel production; however as yet, there are still only about 800 filling stations selling E85 to the public in the US, and only one in Canada[1], [2].

Use in flexible-fuel engines

Postal Service truck running on E85 fuel and advertizing its use

E-85 ethanol is used in engines modified to accept higher concentrations of ethanol. Such flexible-fuel engines are designed to run on any mixture of gasoline or ethanol with up to 85% ethanol by volume. The primary differences from non-FFVs is the elimination of bare magnesium, aluminum, and rubber parts in the fuel system, the use of fuel pumps capable of operating with electrically conductive (ethanol) instead of non-conducting dielectric (gasoline) fuel, specially-coated wear-resistant engine parts, fuel injection control systems having a wider range of pulse widths (for injecting approximately 40% more fuel), the selection of stainless steel fuel lines (sometimes lined with plastic), the selection of stainless steel fuel tanks in place of terne fuel tanks, and, in some cases, the use of acid-neutralizing motor oil. For vehicles with fuel-tank mounted fuel pumps, additional differences to prevent arcing, as well as flame arrestors positioned in the tank's fill pipe, are also sometimes used.[citation needed]

Criticism

E85 gets approximately 25% fewer miles per gallon. In order to save money at the pump the price differentiation between gasoline and e85 would need to exceed 25%, currently E85 is about 5-10% less expensive.[3]

References

  1. ^ "Canada Advancing E85", National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition Newsletter, January 15, 2003
  2. ^ "Canada helps GM clean its fleet", Paul Brent, National Post, 2007
  3. ^ http://www.cars.com/go/advice/Story.jsp?section=fuel&subject=fuelAlt&story=e85

See also

Notes


References

  • US Department of Energy

Handbook for Handling Storing and Dispensing E85 National Rewnewable Energy Laboratory, April 2006

  • Center for American Progress

Flex-Fuel Bait and Switch - See how many flex-fuel cars are on the road and how many stations offer E85.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=E85&oldid=167781538"