Facts About Flex Fuel Car Engines
Flex fuel vehicles, first produced in the 1980s by the Ford Motor Company, provide cheaper fuel and are less harmful on the environment. While a traditional vehicle can run with a very little bit of alternative fuel mixed into its gasoline, only special kinds of engines can use the type of composition a flex fuel vehicle runs.
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Definition
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A flex fuel vehicle engine, also called an FFV, runs on a mix of ethanol or methanol (each a type of alcohol) and gasoline. FFV engines usually run on an 85 percent ethanol/methanol and 15 percent gasoline mix (called E85 or M85, depending on the alcohol used).
Corrosion
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Ethanol and methanol are more corrosive substances than gasoline. FFV engines, unlike gasoline engines, contain stronger materials to protect against corrosion.
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Timing
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FFV engines use a sensor in the fuel line which determines the mixture of the fuel. It then controls the timing and amount of fuel injected into the engine to decrease chance of corrosion.
MPG and Power
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Since ethanol and methanol burn at a lower temperature and provide less energy than gasoline, flex fuel vehicles provide less miles per gallon than a pure gasoline mix. This does not affect the power capacity.
Emission
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FFV engines harm the environment less. E85/M85 mixtures produce as low as 50 percent fewer emissions than pure gasoline engines.
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References
- Photo Credit fuel information image by Gonçalo Carreira from Fotolia.com
