What Is A Flex-Fuel Vehicle

You may have seen the sticker Flex Fuel on the back of new vehicles. But what does it mean? According to professionals, a Flexible Fuel Vehicle or FFV is an alternative fuel vehicle with an internal combustion engine designed to run on more than one fuel, usually gasoline blended with either ethanol or methanol fuel. Both fuels are stored in the same common tank. Flex fuel vehicles are different than bi-fuel vehicles in that with bi-fuel, there are two tanks, each that stores the separate type of fuel. Bi-fuel vehicles can run on compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas or hydrogen.

Many ask whether their vehicle will burn ethanol or E85 fuel even though it isn't designated as a flex fuel vehicle. The answer is yes and no. All gasoline vehicles are able to operate on gasoline and ethanol blends of up to 10 percent. Most pumped gas sold in the United States has approximately that amount of ethanol to meet clean air or emissions regulations. These low percentage blends are not classified as alternative fuels. But to use E85 you must have the right engine. If your vehicle isn't a designated Flex Fuel vehicle, check with your manufacturer as many vehicles were made as early as 2002 that can burn E85 safely.

If your vehicle is not made for ethanol or is non-E85 ready, it could cause iron components in your vehicle to corrode. Ethanol can also negatively affect electric fuel pumps by increasing internal wear, cause improper spark generation and cause erroneous fuel quantity indications.

Is Ethanol more fuel-efficient? Not really. Studies have shown that using 100% ethanol fuel decreases fuel-economy by 15 to 30 percent over the use of 100% gasoline. On the flip side, the benefits of ethanol are that it reduces America's dependence upon foreign oil and reduces greenhouse emissions.

The cost of ethanol can vary, according to where you live. It can also be difficult to find, again, depending on what state you live in. If you are from the Midwest, where corn is grown in plenty, ethanol stations are everywhere and the price is lower than that of regular fuel. If you live outside of the Midwest, it can be more difficult to find and the price can be considerably higher. There are nearly two thousand filling stations in the US that sells E85 and there are websites that can help you find a station near you.

Another benefit of buying a vehicle that burns flex-fuel is the tax incentives offered by the Federal Government.

If E85 is of no interest to you, there is also B100 or biodiesel. Biodiesel is manufactured from numerous products including vegetable oil, animal fat, recycled restaurant grease and more. Biodiesel produces less air pollutants and is biodegradable. B100 is blended with petroleum diesel. Common blends include B2, B5, and B20 - the number next to the B indicates the percentage of biodiesel. B2 and B2 can be used in most vehicles that have diesel engines. Manufacturers do not recommend using blends greater than B5 as it can cause engine damage. Again, biodiesel has a lower fuel economy and is currently more expensive - meaning it is having the same problems as Ethanol.

Vehicles that run on natural gas are growing commercially in numbers. Natural gas is also better for the environment, producing 60 to 90% less smog pollutants and 30 to 40% less greenhouse gas emissions. It is also less expensive than gasoline. The downside is that it is hard to find and very few vehicles are made that use it.

The same goes with propane or LPG. Vehicles that run of off LPG have not been commercially produced in the US since 2004. Some vehicles can be retrofitted to run on LPG. This gas is stored in high-pressure fuel tanks and again is difficult to find in filling stations, in contrast to gasoline and diesel.

There are pros and cons to almost every fuel. Do you research before buying your next vehicle and decide what it is you find most important.

Greg Chapman of Greg Chapman Motors is a knowledgable and leading provider of used cars, trucks, and SUV’s. Since 1959, Chapman motors has supplied reliable used cars in Austin and the surrounding area. For more information please visit http://www.gregchapmanmotors.com.

Biofuels and What They Are

You have heard the term biofuel but aren’t sure what it means. Biofuel is any fuel that is derived from biomass-recently living organisms or their metabolic by-products, such as manure from cows. It is considered ‘green’ because it comes from a renewable energy source, unlike other natural resources such as petroleum, coal and nuclear fuels.

Agricultural products specifically grown for use as biofuels include corn and soybeans (primarily in the United States) as well as flaxseed and rapeseed (primarily in Europe).

Waste from industry, agriculture, forestry and households can also be used to produce bioenergy and include straw, lumber, manure, sewage, garbage and food leftovers.

The production of biofuels to replace oil and natural gas is in active development, focusing on the use of cheap organic matter (usually cellulose, agricultural and sewage waste) in the efficient production of liquid and gas biofuels that yield high net energy gain.

There are various current issues with biofuel production and use, which are presently being discussed in the popular media and scientific journals. These include: the "food vs fuel" debate, carbon emissions levels, sustainable biofuel production, deforestation and soil erosion, impact on water resources, human rights issues, poverty reduction potential, biofuel prices, energy balance and efficiency, and centralised versus decentralised production models.

What material can be used to make biofuels? Conventional ethanol is made from sugar cane, corn, and sweet sorghum. Soybean and rapeseed oil are often used to make biodiesel, but coconut, palm, canola and jatropha nut oil are also being used throughout the world.

Trees, grass, agricultural residue, and municipal solid waste can also be converted into biofuels. Cellulose makes up the majority of a plant’s structure and can be broken down into sugars, which can then be fermented and made into ethanol. Recent research is making this process less expensive and more energy efficient.

As the world’s top producer, Brazil uses sugar cane to make ethanol. Many other developing countries, such as those of southern Africa, produce large amounts of sugar and also have potential to become ethanol producers. The Midwestern United States relies on corn to produce nearly one-quarter of the globe’s ethanol, and China is quickly emerging as the third largest ethanol supplier.

Other countries with limited fossil fuel resources are examining the prospect of producing domestic fuel supplies. Thailand has an aggressive policy to make use of tapioca and sugar cane for ethanol production. In response to the recent passage of the EU Biofuels Directive, member countries are ramping up biodiesel production. The Philippines recently mandated incorporation of coconut oil biodiesel into diesel fuel, the first time coconut oil has been used as a motor fuel.

Cars, trucks, and farm machinery can all run on low-volume biofuel blends without any alteration. Current car warranties cover operation with ethanol-blended gas of up to ten percent. Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFVs) operate on any combination of ethanol and gasoline. FFVs are being sold in the U.S., Brazil, and China. As ethanol has a higher octane, it is used as a gasoline additive to improve vehicle performance. In fact, many international racing teams use ethanol because of its high performance qualities. Biodiesel blends of 20% show similar operation in conventional diesel engines as regular diesel fuel.

Are biofuels the answer for today’s energy crisis? It may be too soon to tell but it certainly has been an alternative source in the meantime.

About the Author: Greg Chapman of Greg Chapman Motors is a knowledgeable and leading provider of used cars, trucks, and SUV’s. Since 1959, Chapman motors has supplied reliable used cars in Austin and the surrounding area. For more information please visit http://www.gregchapmanmotors.com>