Is all gasoline now ethanol-blended gasoline?
2 Answers
Whether gasoline is ethanol-blended or not can be determined by the letter before the number. Ethanol-blended gasoline is marked with the letter E before the octane rating, such as E92 gasoline, while pure gasoline is directly labeled with numbers like 95#. Here are the relevant details: 1. Ethanol-blended gasoline: Regular gasoline is unleaded (containing trace amounts of lead), whereas ethanol-blended gasoline refers to ordinary unleaded gasoline mixed with a certain proportion of fuel ethanol (commonly known as alcohol). In China, this proportion is 10%. In simple terms, it means adding 10% biofuel ethanol to gasoline. 2. Precautions for using ethanol-blended gasoline: For cars that have been driven over 30,000 kilometers, if the fuel tank and fuel lines are not cleaned before using ethanol-blended gasoline for the first time, it may easily cause fuel line blockages and engine stalling. Even after cleaning, a small amount of impurities may still enter the fuel tank, so after using the first tank of fuel, the car should be inspected and cleaned again. However, for new cars with less than 30,000 kilometers, there is no need to clean the fuel tank and fuel lines before adding ethanol-blended gasoline.
Since the nationwide promotion of ethanol gasoline, this green fuel has indeed become common in many places. However, not all gas stations are mandated to use it. For example, I've noticed that in the coastal city where I work, regular 92# gasoline is still predominantly used. It wasn't until I traveled to Henan for business that I refueled with E10 ethanol gasoline for the first time. The gas station attendant said it's called 'eco-friendly fuel' and can reduce exhaust pollution. I didn't notice much difference in driving power, but I did find that the range was slightly shorter than with regular gasoline on long trips. The government seems to require the use of ethanol gasoline in promotion areas, but traditional gasoline is still an option in non-promotion areas. Just pay attention to the signs next to the fuel pumps when refueling, and you'll understand.
