Ethanol vs. Gasoline: MPG

Ethanol remains very popular as a ‘green’ alternative fuel to the terrors of gasoline. Ethanol of course is nothing of the sort. It causes more pollution and it decreases the fuel efficiency of your car. The theoretical difference for even a 10% blend of ethanol is only about 3.7%, but over the course of a year it can easily add an extra tank or two, even with such a minor addition of ethanol.

I decided to put this to the test. Over the past few months I have been filling up my car with a no ethanol blend of gasoline and then from stations that use up to 10% ethanol. I did not verify that the fuel from the ethanol stations contained exactly 10% ethanol. I also did the tests in series so all tanks of gasoline and then of ethanol were in sequence. I also drove the tank to near empty each time.

Ethanol, Ozone and the EPA

The EPA is ignoring the growing evidence that ethanol increases ozone pollution. Every increase in ethanol use as fuel will increases the amount of ozone pollution in the United States. This is one of the times where regardless of a persons views on global warming, the pollution effects of ethanol are real and need to be taken into account.