Zero-emission cars are mostly electric (although some think hybrids are, too). Hydrogen cars continue to expand, but now the ultimate fuel has been found. It will surprise you, but it is based on alcohol, which is going to decarbonize our roads. Innovation, once again, shows us its most extravagant but hopeful side.
Zero-emission cars will use alcohol: this is the proposal that is already a reality
Ethanol provides several key benefits as a transportation fuel. Most notably, existing gasoline engines can be modified to run on ethanol blends up to 85% ethanol (E85). This provides a pathway to use more renewable fuel without completely replacing the vehicle fleet.
Ethanol is primarily made from plant materials like corn and sugarcane. Producing and burning ethanol emits less greenhouse gas compared to gasoline, leading to lower emissions overall. Studies have found E85 reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 37-48% compared to traditional gasoline.
The renewable, plant-based nature of ethanol makes it better for the environment than continued reliance on gasoline. With sufficient supply, ethanol could provide a lower emission option for the substantial portion of vehicles that will continue using internal combustion engines in the coming decades.
How bioethanol works in the cars of the future: cleaner than electricity and hydrogen
Ethanol cars can be as efficient as conventionally gasoline driven ones. Ethanol fuel mixes like E10 have comparable power metrics with gasoline and same mileage, some studies show even a slight increase in the fuel economy.
This makes ethanol viable as a straight replacement for gasoline in majority of the vehicles on the road today. For this, ethanol is different from some alternative fuels that require new engines or fuel systems, and it can work with the current infrastructure.
In most of the gas stations, which have blender pumps that allow drivers to select from E15 to E85 based on their vehicle’s compatibility, is already there. Hence, it becomes easy to create fuel out of ethanol for the car drivers. And, since the engine efficiency and fuelling is the same as gasoline, ethanol is the affordable alternative.
Drivers do not need to buy brand new cars to lower emissions, and gas stations do not differ much in terms of their infrastructure. Ethanol powered vehicles can clean the air now without having to replace the cars we already have.
H2: How much could bioethanol cars cost? The price of maintenance, revealed
Ethanol fuel can be used in most existing gasoline engines with only minor modifications, keeping vehicle costs low. Flex fuel vehicles that can run on any blend of gasoline and ethanol from 0% to 85% ethanol (E85) require just a different fuel sensor and upgraded fuel lines and injectors to handle the higher ethanol content.
This adds only a few hundred dollars to the manufacturing cost of a new car. For existing vehicle owners, conversion kits are available to make a standard gasoline engine flex fuel compatible. These kits typically cost $800-1200, a relatively small investment compared to the lifetime fuel savings from using cheaper ethanol blends.
The fuel itself also costs similarly to gasoline, with E85 selling for 10-30 cents less per gallon. Considering that ethanol has a higher octane rating than regular gasoline, the cost per mile driven can be very comparable between ethanol and gasoline vehicles. Ethanol’s locally sourced, renewable nature helps stabilize fuel pricing as well.
Overall, ethanol vehicles provide a low-cost pathway for high fuel efficiency and reduced emissions, without the large upfront cost premium or extensive infrastructure requirements of other alternative fuel options. With minimal vehicle modifications, drivers can immediately start to benefit from ethanol’s advantages.
This is the way in which alcohol is going to decarbonize our roads, which are quite depleted by polluting logistics throughout America. However, bioethanol intends to mark a before and after with zero-emission cars. What do you think about the way we will move in the medium-long term future?