Thread: E15 on the way?
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Old 03-01-2012, 01:11 AM   #83 (permalink)
KY_Canyon
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BigBlue - '05 GMC Canyon Crew Cab 4x4 Z71
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Allch Chcar View Post
I've heard of the 10% loss anecdote. I've never seen it proven with anything factual though. :/ Infact, everything I have seen and read shows a better picture.

Ethanol has 66% of the energy content. You mentioned both E15 and E10 in your post though so it's difficult to tell which you mean.
There is no widespread use of E15 yet. That is what this thread was started in regards to. I have never used E15.......only E10. If my previous post insinuated my experience using E15 rather than E10 then I didn't do a good job with my wording. I also don't have E85 in my area...so no experience with it.

Properly formulated ethanol will contain 65-66% of the energy potential of gasoline. Therefore it is 34-35% less efficient (at best). So, E10 should calculate to a decrease of 3.5% and E15 should calculate to 5.25% decrease. However, an engine designed for pure gasoline will not burn ethanol as efficiently as an engine designed specifically for it, and therefore the realized decrease will be greater and will vary from engine type to engine type.

My original post was intended to point out the fact that the two fuels have different engine requirements to maximize efficiency. The blending of fuels almost guarantees that we will end up with a sub-par outcome.

The truth of the matter is that we have the ability to produce cars/trucks that could run on 100% ethanol or methanol if the free market would support them. Ethanol is nothing new. In fact, it's been around for more than 100 years. However, under pressure from special interest groups, the government chose to subsidize corn based ethanol and is slowly forcing the market to use it. Originally it was E10, now it's E15, next it will be E20 and before you know it they will be mandating ethanol in much higher percentages leaving no choice to the consumer.
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