Ethanol has a higher Octane Rating, but much lower heat capacity per gallon. So your car will not be as prone to knock ( now that there’s no lead antiknock in gasoline). With the lower heat content, to produce the same power as it would with straight gasoline, your car’s computer has to add fuel to maintain the power level. This is what’s so stupid about ethanol. It takes more energy to produce it and it takes more of it to propel you down the road. Expect to get 10% lower milage with 10% ethanol blend and 15% less with a 15% mix. Also, it was an expensive proposition for the automakers because ethanol is corrosive to many of the parts in the engine’s fuel system. Also some elastomers ( used for seals) had to be changed along with a more sophisticated engine management system that has the ability to determine the ethanol blend currently in use. On top of these negatives, ethanol production is driving up the price of corn so food and beef are more expensive What a government!!!
All that so they can avoid drilling where abundant oil exists. Like in ANWR for example.
“Ethanol has a higher Octane Rating, but much lower heat capacity per gallon. So your car will not be as prone to knock ( now that there’s no lead antiknock in gasoline). With the lower heat content, to produce the same power as it would with straight gasoline, your car’s computer has to add fuel to maintain the power level. This is what’s so stupid about ethanol. It takes more energy to produce it and it takes more of it to propel you down the road.”
Makes some sense, given that MBTE has been available instead for quite some time to prevent the knocking.