New E10 unleaded whatcar MPG test

[Gerrycan]

If you compare the calorific values for diesel, petrol and ethanol by the traditional sales system of volume (litres/gallons) then petrol has 10% less than diesel and ethanol 30% less than petrol. If you compare them by weight (kilograms/pounds) then there is far less difference.

 

Aromatics are usually added to petrol to achieve regulation anti-knock ratings but they are not without problems:

• Fuel left in a tank will usually degrade over a period (beyond 6 weeks) as the more volatile aromatics deteriorate/evaporate so your RON rating will reduce which can affect how well the engine performs.
• The aromatics are not without their environmental issues. In Australia they were also a real problem for remote aboriginal communities where the youth engaged in petrol sniffing highs resulting in permanent brain damage or death from the Aromatics. A special low aromatic 91 RON fuel is now sold in those areas (I believe it is methanol based)

Pure ethanol has a relatively high 109 RON rating so it can be mixed with petrol to replace some aromatics to achieve regulation RON ratings, but it is not without its problems:

• Ethanol is more corrosive on older incompatible tank linings, seals and fuel lines, but most modern engines are designed to accommodate at least 10% Ethanol content.
• Ethanol is quite hydroscopic and will attract water more than petrol. If this is allowed to happen through poor storage/transport then the ethanol will separate from the petrol and the engine will run very poorly as it runs on either the lowered octane petrol or the ethanol/water mix.
• Ethanol mixed with petrol will reduce the calorific content, with a 10% mix by roughly 3% although in Australia when mixed with 91 Ron petrol it raises it to 94 RON. 
• Ethanol is usually touted as a 'green' fuel as it is made from renewable resources. This claim stands up to examination where they use a waste resource to produce ethanol but less so where good agricultural land is used or virgin Amazon rainforest is destroyed to produce the source material.

Australian E10 is marginally cheaper than pure petrol but has developed a very poor reputation as there have been many cases where independent testing has shown the ethanol content to vary considerably between batches and storage/transport is below acceptable standards especially for humid conditions by the lower tier producers. The major reputable petrol companies here have had little involvement in the addition of Ethanol to their products, although that will change with future legislation which should improve the product reputation.

I'm sure these aspects will already be better controlled in the UK and Europe by your suppliers.

 

E85 (105 RON) is available at some stations here but as far as I know there was only one, now defunct local manufacturer (Holden), who made a 'Flexfuel' engine capable of running it.

Unfortunately the engine was designed to run on petrol or the Ethanol mix so was not optimised for either and each fuel has completely different characteristics. 

The 15% petrol in E85 is required because pure ethanol is otherwise quite difficult to ignite.

 

 

 

[Pagan-Image]

All i can contribute to this is my experience last week.

 

Had to travel to East london last week, filled up with E5 before going - 47.8 MPG, Filled up with E10 on the return journey - 42.3 MPG. Same route, with cruise control set at 70 on dual carriageways and motorways.

[Breezy_Pete]

^ Winds were predominantly from the North last week. Makes a fair difference.

[Pagan-Image]

True, i had not taken that into account, however i have seen the same degree of MPG loss over the rest of the tankful whilst using it up :).

 

Its slightly annoying, but 42mpg on a 2L turbo petrol still isnt bad

[Duggerchopz]

49 minutes ago, Pagan-Image said:

True, i had not taken that into account, however i have seen the same degree of MPG loss over the rest of the tankful whilst using it up :).

 

Its slightly annoying, but 42mpg on a 2L turbo petrol still isnt bad

Is that a 190hp variant?

I'm a 220hp & never see above 40mpg at motorway speeds

[Pagan-Image]

Its the 245  with DSG.

 

I do tend to drive reasonably sedately, unless i get a rush of blood to my right foot  

 

 

Edited 31 August, 2021 by Pagan-Image

[Ootohere]

Now people in the UK that keep accurate record of their petrol cars consumption all year round and year after year of using E5 will be able to continue keeping their record with E10.

 

Not going to be that complicated for those that know how many miles per litre of fuel they normally get, and how that can change by season and even the direction of travel like where a trip might be more down hill than up, like if you head from the countryside to the sea side, and then have to leave the seaside and travel inland.

Not many places in the UK where you can drive are below sea level.

 

 

Edited 31 August, 2021 by e-Roottoot

[Ootohere]

1st September and the RAC spokesperson on the media does not want to be very specific on anything to do with E10 other than to say check the Government Website on if to your petrol  vehicle will be OK on E10.  As to the other stuff on economy , performance etc you might have expected that the RAC would be the ones that would be doing real world comparisons.     ?does E10 being the petrol that will commonly be available really mean there is going to be a reduction in emissions at anything of the tonnage that News Presenters are talking about which will have been given out by Government employees?

[cheezemonkhai]

Can I ask users to start posting into the linked thread instead, so we can keep everything in one place, it would be appreciated.

 

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/490693-e10-fuels/