“The reason for that is because the main ingredient in E85 - ethanol - is priced far below gasoline right now. You look at the wholesale terminals where the fuel is blended and ethanol today is selling for about $2.80 a gallon. That compares to gasoline that is selling for about $4.20 a gallon.
Ethanol burns cooler than regular gasoline. It requires lower combustion temperatures. Also, it creates a thermodynamic cooling effect that regular gasoline doesn't offer. This is quite beneficial because E85 helps keep the engine cool.
While E85 is typically cheaper per gallon than gasoline it might be more expensive per mile. Since ethanol contains less energy per volume than gasoline, FFVs will generally get 15%-27% fewer miles per gallon when fueled with E85, depending on the car and the driver's driving habits.
So when you factor in the cost of E85 and the mileage it yields, the cost for E85 is less than gasoline. Even in the worst-case scenario, when E85 reduces your mileage by 25%, you can save about 7% on fuel. When you use an ethanol blend that provides almost the same mileage as gasoline, you'll end up saving money.
E85 has higher octane than regular gasoline. This means that E85 is a lot better for your car's engine than regular gasoline. It is also a cleaner fuel with lesser harmful emissions. On the downside, E85 burns faster and produces lesser energy than gasoline.
It can last years, or it can go bad in as little as three months. Its longevity depends on a lot of factors, including: The amount of moisture in the air.
Faster Burning
E85 fuel has a faster ignition time and flame propagation when compared to gasoline. This leads to higher cylinder pressure, as well as increased engine torque and power, gaining up to 20%.
E85 Is Better For Performance Than Gasoline
Your car will also run better because the ethanol in E85 is a solvent that can clean the carbon deposits throughout your engine and fuel system, and the high octanes enable the engine to produce more power. As far as performance goes, E85 is a better fuel than gasoline.
Putting E85 in a Gas Car
The check engine light will most likely illuminate, but you can top off the rest of your tank with regular gasoline and ride it out. A one-time mix-up with E85 gas shouldn't cause any long-term damage.
If you accidentally put E85 fuel in a car built for regular petroleum-based gasoline, chances are your check engine light will come on. And while that's never a good feeling, a one-time mistake shouldn't cause engine damage.
For example, E85 contains 75,670 British thermal units of energy per gallon instead of 115,400 for regular unleaded gasoline, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. So you have to burn more fuel to generate the same amount of energy.
In Australia, E85 is uncommon compared to unleaded and premium unleaded alternatives, but is more readily available at certain United Petroleum service stations around the country. One reason for E85's low popularity locally is the small number of vehicles available that can use it.
E85 flex fuel not only powers your engine but also cleans your engine, fuel lines, and fuel injectors. That's because E85 contains a high amount of ethanol, up to 83%. Ethanol is an excellent cleaner. It clears the engine, fuel lines, and fuel injectors of deposits.
If you don't have a flex fuel vehicle, putting E85 in it isn't recommended. “Using high-content ethanol (E85) in an engine not designed for it can also void the manufacturer's warranty,” AAA wrote in 2019.
Ethanol takes more time than gasoline to vaporize. This is why a car with E85 doesn't necessarily run or idle the best in cold weather until the engine is warmed up.
The benefits of E85 really come from the higher octane (up to 110, depending on ethanol content and quality). This allows some of the same benefits you see when using methanol injection, meaning you can run more spark (if needed) or boost. This normally translates to 25-50 or more horsepower on a forced-induction car.
The good news is E85 doesn't cause white smoke. It can cause steam to come out of the tailpipe. Steam isn't a bad thing. It's an indicator of extra water in the exhaust system.
Ethanol also has a higher thermal efficiency meaning when it does ignite, the temperature of the combustion is lower compared to pump gas. This allows a turbocharged engine to take more boost within a safe operating range without damaging the engine.
The motor racing industry has always preferred ethanol- or methanol-based fuels because these fuels tend to give performance vehicles more thermal efficiency and increased torque. In an advanced engine, E85 can improve the engine's fuel consumption.
The entire Supercars field is fueled with 350,000 litres of our new E85 blend. BP has worked extensively to develop a BP E85 fuel that will be supplied to Supercars and other support racing categories.
Running E85 on older model engines without tuning and replacing some components will ruin the engine in short time. Replacing fuel hoses, fuel pumps, gaskets, seals, fuel filters, fuel injectors, throttle bodies, etc.
The ethanol sucks up water the longer it sits, so it has to be sealed very very very well if you're storing it for several weeks. If you're going to longterm storage (>6 weeks) you'll need a metal container. E85 will eat away at the plastic over long periods of time.
Simply put, if you mix 5 gallons of 91 octane pump gas with 5 gallons of E85, you get 10 gallons of a 96-octane fuel that's very close to E50, or 50-percent ethanol and 50-percent gasoline.