Is the reduction in emissions using 10% ethanol enough to compensate for the lowered gas mileage?

Question

I took a drive to my mom's house (400+ miles) using 10% ethanol there and regular gas on the way back and there was about a 10% difference in mileage (29 vs 32).

It takes more 10% ethanol to go the same distance. So am I putting out more emissions per mile?

Answer 1

Gasoline is a much more complex molecule. If you burn it compeletely, you get CO2 and H2O, but incomplete burning (clogged air filter) creates many more exotic compounds, some of which cause cancer.

Ethanol only has 2 carbon atoms, so there are a lot fewer possibilties for exotic compounds from incomplete burning.

As for CO2 emissions, that's the same, because it's a direct result of the energy released.

Answer 2

No. Ethanol releases the same amount of emissions, so if you are burning more of it you are emitting more carbon into the atmosphere. Also, take into account the fact that ethanol must be harvested from plants, using fossil-fuel burning combines and so forth. Ethanol actually takes more energy to produce than it releases when it is burned. I have absolutely no idea why E85 is seen as an environmental advantage and promoted by the government as such, as it really is worse than fossil fuel use (and costs money that could be allocated elsewhere).

Yes, you are putting out more emissions per mile.

Answer 3

It takes natural resources to produce the ethanol in the first place, so as of yet, I would have to say no to your question. I think it pretty much balances out. What you gained in mileage was lost in the production of the ethanol. I do think there is hope of turning this around but it still needs some fine tuning before it is truly environmentally beneficial.

Answer 4

Ethanol does not reduce emissions. You car emits just as much with ethanol as it does with gas. Maybe even more. The reason to use ethanol is because it comes from bio mass and not fossil fuel, which means the carbon in it was removed from the air when the bio mass from which it is made grew, while the gas has carbon that came from the petroleum from which it was made, and that came from underground. Burning gas takes under ground carbon and puts it into the air as carbon dioxide. With bio fuel, the carbon dioxide is just recycled from the air to the fuel and back again, causing no net increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Answer 5

i do no longer think of actually lots of no longer something different than worse gas mileage however the gas mileage gets better Im specific while they swap to gasoline injection in July of next 3 hundred and sixty 5 days. Ive examine the 1st race of gasoline injection & ethanol would be the 1st actual race at Kentucky in July next 3 hundred and sixty 5 days.

Answer 6

no, ethanol doesnt pollute to burn