Ethanol

Ethanol is an alcohol-based, renewable fuel source made by fermenting and distilling feedstock containing significant amounts of sugar or crops that can be converted into simple sugar, such as starch or cellulose. Examples of resources that can make ethanol are corn, wheat, wood, straw and other grasses, sugar beets and sugar cane.

Ethanol is typically blended with gasoline in concentrations of 10-percent ethanol to 90-percent gasoline, known as E10. Ethanol can also be blended with gasoline in higher concentrations, such as 85-percent ethanol to 15-percent gasoline, known as E85.

Key Points of Ethanol Include:

Ethanol blends up to 10% are allowed under warranty for all vehicles.
High concentrations of ethanol, such as E85 (85-percent ethanol to 15-percent gasoline) can only operate in a specialized vehicle known as a flexible fuel vehicle or FFV.
Low blends of ethanol are available all along the race route. E85 is available along the U.S. portion of the route, but there are no commercial fuelling stations in Canada.
Ethanol reduces most greenhouse emissions and other pollutants and is renewable source of energy.

Benefits:

Due to its high oxygen content, ethanol burns more cleanly and completely than conventional gasoline. Even at concentrations of 10-percent, using an ethanol blend in your vehicle reduces greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants by an average of 25-percent.

Furthermore, ethanol is produced from agricultural crops. Therefore, not only is it renewable, but it can also be produced domestically, reducing dependency on foreign imports, improving local economies and creating jobs.

Vehicle Availability:

Any vehicle manufactured after 1970 can operate on blends up to a 10% level with no engine modifications. Furthermore, the warranties of all manufacturers marketing vehicles in the North America approve the use of blends of E10 and below.

p://www.ethanolrfa.org/2003autowarranties.pd

Higher blends of ethanol, such as E85, require a special vehicle called an E85 flexible-fuel vehicle (FFVs). These vehicles are called flexible fuel because they can operate on regular gasoline or any blend of ethanol up 85%. With FFVs, drivers need not worry about switches or additional fuel tanks. The engine control module identifies the fuel blend and automatically makes the necessary adjustments to the fuel injection system and timing.

Each model year, the number of FFVs available increases and the incremental cost is little to nil. In fact, many FFVs owners are not aware their vehicle can operate on E85. To find out if your vehicle is a flexible fuel vehicle, the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition maintains a list of vehicle identification numbers (VIN) for FFVs. You can look up your VIN on-line at www.e85fuel.com or you can call the E85 Hotline at (877) 485-8595.

Ethanol Availability:

Lower blends of ethanol are readily available throughout the U.S. and Canada. Currently, there are no retail fuelling stations in Western Canada that supply E85.

Performance:

Ethanol burns cleaner and at a lower temperature than conventional gasoline, resulting in a longer life for sparkplugs and a reduction in engine deposits. Vehicle power, acceleration and payload while operating on ethanol blends, even an E85, are comparable to petroleum gasoline.

The energy content of ethanol is lower than gasoline. However, due to the superior combustion efficiency of ethanol-blended gasoline, at lower concentrations, vehicle performance and fuel economy is equal, if not better, when compared to conventional gasoline. Vehicles operating on higher blends (e.g. E85) will experience a reduction in fuel economy, ranging from 5% to12%. To compensate for the reduce range when operating on E85, some manufacturers are now installing larger fuel tanks on their FFV models.