Which is More Fuel-Efficient: Ethanol Gasoline or Regular Gasoline?
1 Answers
Regular gasoline is more fuel-efficient. The calorific value of ethanol is only 60% of that of conventional automotive gasoline, so it performs worse than pure gasoline in terms of power and fuel economy. The biggest difference between ethanol gasoline and pure gasoline is that the ethanol in ethanol gasoline is a renewable resource, which can be produced from sorghum, corn, potatoes, and other crops through fermentation, making it more environmentally friendly. In contrast, pure gasoline is non-renewable and emits more polluting gases. Disadvantages of ethanol gasoline: Low calorific value: The energy content of the same volume of ethanol is only two-thirds that of gasoline. When mixed with gasoline, it actually reduces the heat content of the fuel, resulting in shorter driving distances. High evaporation potential: Ethanol has strong evaporation capabilities. If the engine is not equipped with an intake preheating system, it can be difficult to start a car burning pure ethanol fuel. However, mixing a low proportion of ethanol with gasoline can be beneficial for improving engine thermal efficiency and cooling the engine. Prone to vapor lock: Ethanol has a relatively low boiling point. At normal engine operating temperatures, it can easily cause vapor lock, reducing or even cutting off the fuel supply. Corrosive to metals: Ethanol produces acetic acid during combustion, which can corrode the metal parts of a car. When the ethanol content in gasoline is below 10%, it has little to no corrosive effect on metals. However, if the ethanol content exceeds 15%, effective corrosion inhibitors must be added.
