E20

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Mar 15, 2012
Messages
1,786
Location
PEARL River la
I was Racetrack to get E15 since I read it was 10 cents cheaper with no difference compared to E10 but not only no E15 but only E20 and it was 10 cents more than E10 and was labeled flex fuel. Have any of you had any experience with this fuel?
 
Originally Posted by JLTD
No experience, most I will go is E10, any more alcohol is not allowed for the 4Runner.

Is your 2018 flex fuel?

Yes it even had a different handle
 
I have used E10, E15, E20, E30, E50, and E85 over the years. We can get these varieties at several blender pumps in our area. Nothing spectacular if that is what you are looking for except each one progressively lower in price as the amount of ethanol increases. Makes sense considering that ethanol is $1.32 on the commodity exchange this morning and gas is $1.68 this morning on the exchange.
 
Originally Posted by TiredTrucker
I have used E10, E15, E20, E30, E50, and E85 over the years. We can get these varieties at several blender pumps in our area. Nothing spectacular if that is what you are looking for except each one progressively lower in price as the amount of ethanol increases. Makes sense considering that ethanol is $1.32 on the commodity exchange this morning and gas is $1.68 this morning on the exchange.

Except the cost was 10 cents more. 2.05 for E10 and 2.15 for E20.
 
Very odd, since the more "E" there is, the cheaper the price should be. Ethanol is way cheaper than pure gasoline...
 
Originally Posted by DAC17
Very odd, since the more "E" there is, the cheaper the price should be. Ethanol is way cheaper than pure gasoline...

The only thing I could think of was prices according to octane. It is priced between 87 and 89 octane.
 
Originally Posted by tiger862
Originally Posted by TiredTrucker
I have used E10, E15, E20, E30, E50, and E85 over the years. We can get these varieties at several blender pumps in our area. Nothing spectacular if that is what you are looking for except each one progressively lower in price as the amount of ethanol increases. Makes sense considering that ethanol is $1.32 on the commodity exchange this morning and gas is $1.68 this morning on the exchange.

Except the cost was 10 cents more. 2.05 for E10 and 2.15 for E20.

Find a new station.

The BTU's of a gallon of gas goes down the higher the ethanol content (inversely proportional). So your best mpg's will be at the E10 level. (the btu's of a gallon of E10 is equivalent to about 96% the btu value of pure E0 gasoline, at apprx 114k btu's). I would only use an E20 if after running the numbers it showed a cost savings (after factoring price, btu difference etc). In my area i can get E10 at up to 92 octane and it's at least a dollar cheaper than E0, which I can also get.

Gasoline Gallon Equivalents
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by tiger862
Originally Posted by TiredTrucker
I have used E10, E15, E20, E30, E50, and E85 over the years. We can get these varieties at several blender pumps in our area. Nothing spectacular if that is what you are looking for except each one progressively lower in price as the amount of ethanol increases. Makes sense considering that ethanol is $1.32 on the commodity exchange this morning and gas is $1.68 this morning on the exchange.

Except the cost was 10 cents more. 2.05 for E10 and 2.15 for E20.


Of course, pricing is regional. In my area, as the ethanol percentage increases, the cost decreases.
 
Originally Posted by Mad_Hatter
Originally Posted by tiger862
Originally Posted by TiredTrucker
I have used E10, E15, E20, E30, E50, and E85 over the years. We can get these varieties at several blender pumps in our area. Nothing spectacular if that is what you are looking for except each one progressively lower in price as the amount of ethanol increases. Makes sense considering that ethanol is $1.32 on the commodity exchange this morning and gas is $1.68 this morning on the exchange.

Except the cost was 10 cents more. 2.05 for E10 and 2.15 for E20.

Find a new station.

The BTU's of a gallon of gas goes down the higher the ethanol content (inversely proportional). So your best mpg's will be at the E10 level. (the btu's of a gallon of E10 is equivalent to about 96% the btu value of pure E0 gasoline, at apprx 114k btu's). I would only use an E20 if after running the numbers it showed a cost savings (after factoring price, btu difference etc). In my area i can get E10 at up to 92 octane and it's at least a dollar cheaper than E0, which I can also get.

Gasoline Gallon Equivalents


The BTU content thing is correct. But if the pricing spread is right, ethanol laced fuel can still be the better value.

One of my vehicles is a flex fuel GDI engine with 11.2:1 compression ratio. High octane is the name of the game if I want to get full performance from the motor. That leaves either 93 octane Premium ($3) or 100 octane E85 ($1.87). Even with wishful thinking, there is no way that running premium will deliver a high enough MPG improvement over E85 to offset the cost per mile by using Premium. E85 is the clear winner.

If the engine is designed properly to take full advantage of the characteristics of ethanol, then we really would not even be discussing this. There have been engines developed recently that are extreme boosted with diesel equivalent compression ratios that can take advantage of the potential of E85 and those engines give diesel equivalent power and fuel economy. BTU content is only one factor, and that may not be the issue that is touted. Cummins is one of those OEM's who developed one of these engines. But none of those have reached the market yet, so it is all moot.
 
I'd probably run E20 or even E30 if it was available in my van since it is flex fuel capable, but only if it was cheaper. The 300 is rated for e15, but the gas station here wants to charge e10 prices for their e15 and mark their e10 prices up another 5-10 cents.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top