Should the Li ONE use 92 or 95 octane gasoline?
2 Answers
According to the official vehicle manual recommendation, the Li ONE should use 95 octane gasoline. In addition to checking the appropriate gasoline grade in the vehicle manual for the Li ONE, you can also find it marked on the fuel tank cap. Generally, the gasoline grade can also be determined based on the engine's compression ratio. Vehicles with an engine compression ratio between 8.6-9.9 should use 92 octane gasoline, while those between 10.0-11.5 should use 95 octane gasoline. However, with the application of new technologies, the gasoline grade cannot be solely determined by the compression ratio. High compression ratio engines can also be tuned to use lower octane gasoline. This is because, besides the compression ratio, other factors such as ignition timing, turbocharging technology, and Atkinson cycle technology also play a role. Generally, the higher the gasoline octane number, the higher the octane value and the better the anti-knock performance. 92 octane gasoline contains 92% isooctane and 8% n-heptane, while 95 octane gasoline contains 95% isooctane and 5% n-heptane. If the Li ONE occasionally uses the wrong gasoline grade, simply switch back to the correct grade after consumption. However, long-term use of the wrong gasoline grade can have the following effects: For vehicles recommended for lower octane gasoline, using higher octane gasoline will not cause damage, but the increase in octane value will change the fuel's ignition point, leading to delayed combustion in the engine. This means both the engine's power output and thermal efficiency will decrease, resulting in poorer performance in practice. For vehicles recommended for higher octane gasoline, using lower octane gasoline can cause engine knocking. Due to the significantly lower octane value, the gasoline's ignition point decreases, causing premature ignition during the compression stroke. If combustion occurs before the spark plug ignites during the compression stroke, resistance will arise during the upward stroke. This resistance can make the engine run very unstably. If the knocking is imperceptible, it may only increase noise without obvious damage to the engine. However, if noticeable knocking occurs, it indicates severe engine conditions, affecting not only driving stability but also causing abnormal wear on pistons and cylinders, and in severe cases, cylinder scoring.
As an ordinary car owner, I carefully researched this issue when I first got my Li ONE. The official recommendation is to use 92-octane gasoline, which is more economical because its engine is range-extender designed, mainly used to generate electricity to charge the battery rather than directly driving the wheels, so 92-octane is sufficient with good combustion efficiency. In comparison, 95-octane gasoline is more expensive, but in actual driving, there isn't much noticeable difference—it's just spending extra money. I usually check the label on the fuel tank cap when refueling, which typically says 92-octane or above. This saves a few cents per liter compared to 95-octane, adding up to tens of yuan in fuel savings per month. I've made it a habit to regularly check the user manual to ensure I follow the recommendations, avoiding unnecessary expenses and reducing extra wear on the engine.