Hybrid Mileage improvement with 100% ethanol-free gas

[Mavster Mechanic]

I have used both and can't tell any difference.

It tends to be subtle.
But real.

From a scientific / engineering standpoint, each 10% ethanol will net 3% fewer miles per gallon.

When people see more or less than this it tends to be for other reasons such as coincidental colder weather, coincidental faster driving, or coincidental you name it.

Also see "confirmation bias".

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[imboden013]

Recently, I accidentally grabbed the wrong nozzle at the gas pumps and filled my 2.5 Hybrid with what we call "real gas" around here. I noticed it when the pump was showing the price as 50¢ more per gallon than the price marquee showed for "Regular" (10% ethanol) gas. I did not notice the Octane rating, but it was just Regular ethanol-free, not mid-Grade or Premium - all of which are available here. I grumbled to myself about filling the truck with more expensive fuel than I normally do, and quickly forgot about it.

Later, I kept noticing the mileage was consistently at least 5 MPG better than what I was used to. It finally hit me that it might be the real gas is giving better MPG. In the past, I've tried higher octane gas, but it still contained ethanol; and it made no difference in my Hybrid's mileage, vs ethanol gas of lower octane.

Anyone else experience the same thing in their Hybrid Mavericks?

Haven’t tried it in my Mavericks, but occasionally ran a tank of non ethanol fuel in my F150s. I’d get about 8-10% better fuel mileage, but since it cost about 20% more it wasn’t worth the extra cost. I often wondered if the lower mpg thus the additional fuel needed to travel the same number of miles actually helps the environment.

 

[imboden013]

Haven’t tried it in my Mavericks, but occasionally ran a tank of non ethanol fuel in my F150s. I’d get about 8-10% better fuel mileage, but since it cost about 20% more it wasn’t worth the extra cost. I often wondered if the lower mpg thus the additional fuel needed to travel the same number of miles actually helps the environment.

Just did a search on the web.

CO2 emissions. E10 18.95 lbs/gal
Gasoline 20.00 lbs/gal

so since it takes about 5-10 % more E10 to travel same miles the CO2 emissions are about same. Other emissions amounts are not listed so probably not significantly different. So the E10 is probably more government BS that is forced upon us.

 

[Mavster Mechanic]

Just did a search on the web.

CO2 emissions. E10 18.95 lbs/gal
Gasoline 20.00 lbs/gal

so since it takes about 5-10 % more E10 to travel same miles the CO2 emissions are about same. Other emissions amounts are not listed so probably not significantly different. So the E10 is probably more government BS that is forced upon us.

A few comments:
The 18.95 vs. 20 for CO2 at the tailpipe sounds about right. Because E10 is still 90% gasoline after all. However it's not only about tailpipe CO2.

E10 = less unburned fuel out the tailpipe.

E10 = less toxic pollutants out the tailpipe.

Ethanol = way way way less pollutants during manufacture.

Ethanol = made in the USA = more USA jobs

Ethanol spills diluted with water are non-toxic to plants, fish, animals, and humans. Gasoline is always toxic.

"Today’s corn-based ethanol reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by roughly 40 – 50 percent compared to regular gasoline, according to studies by Harvard, USDA and the Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory." Feb. 4 2025

 

[grandpopa'sMPGs]

Engines run on ethanal blend can operate at higher compression ratios that will Increase engine efficiency greater than the loss of power in the fuel mix..

 

[MattinFLA]

I have 2024 hybrid maverick and getting 540 miles to a tank of gass with ethanol free gas only.
No sediment left in the gas tank which will eventually take out a piston like it did in my 4 cylinder Colorado once it hit 200,000 mile

 

[Mavster Mechanic]

I have 2024 hybrid maverick and getting 540 miles to a tank of gass with ethanol free gas only.
No sediment left in the gas tank which will eventually take out a piston like it did in my 4 cylinder Colorado once it hit 200,000 mile

It depends more on the person, place, time, and weather than the fuel.

Mine on 10% ethanol.

60% highway. 40% city.

 

[Pointyears]

Haven’t tried it in my Mavericks, but occasionally ran a tank of non ethanol fuel in my F150s. I’d get about 8-10% better fuel mileage, but since it cost about 20% more it wasn’t worth the extra cost. I often wondered if the lower mpg thus the additional fuel needed to travel the same number of miles actually helps the environment.

Plus what it takes to subsidize, grow, and harvest the corn, not to mention refining it.

 

[zorki1c]

In my 2005 f150 I got at
Least 5 mpg better with non ethanol gas. The only advantage of ethanol is it gives farmers a reason to grow more corn. If you go to a town like West Yellowstone Montana you have trouble finding ethanol fuel. Lots of four wheelers and snow mobiles there and they don’t much like alcohol in their gas. It’s easier just to sell all non ethanol.

 

[zorki1c]

Engines run on ethanal blend can operate at higher compression ratios that will Increase engine efficiency greater than the loss of power in the fuel mix..

Then how come non ethanol gives better mpg?

 

[zorki1c]

A few comments:
The 18.95 vs. 20 for CO2 at the tailpipe sounds about right. Because E10 is still 90% gasoline after all. However it's not only about tailpipe CO2.

E10 = less unburned fuel out the tailpipe.

E10 = less toxic pollutants out the tailpipe.

Ethanol = way way way less pollutants during manufacture.

Ethanol = made in the USA = more USA jobs

Ethanol spills diluted with water are non-toxic to plants, fish, animals, and humans. Gasoline is always toxic.

"Today’s corn-based ethanol reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by roughly 40 – 50 percent compared to regular gasoline, according to studies by Harvard, USDA and the Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory." Feb. 4 2025

But Ethanol can’t be moved through a pipeline. It has to be hauled in tanker trucks that burn diesel. Doesn’t sound to me like it’s any more environmentally friendly

 

[Mavster Mechanic]

Plus what it takes to subsidize, grow, and harvest the corn, not to mention refining it.

Oil gets more subsidies by muti-fold than ethanol. See any middle east news lately? Refining ethanol is multi-fold more efficient than refining crude into gasoline.

 

[Mavster Mechanic]

In my 2005 f150 I got at
Least 5 mpg better with non ethanol gas. The only advantage of ethanol is it gives farmers a reason to grow more corn. If you go to a town like West Yellowstone Montana you have trouble finding ethanol fuel. Lots of four wheelers and snow mobiles there and they don’t much like alcohol in their gas. It’s easier just to sell all non ethanol.

There was 10% to 15% fewer acres of corn planted in the 2020's than the 1940's.

Small engines, in general do better on plain gas yes. Ethanol runs better with a host of electronic controls and complex fuel injection that simple, small engines don't have.

 

[Timothyd]

In my 2005 f150 I got at
Least 5 mpg better with non ethanol gas. The only advantage of ethanol is it gives farmers a reason to grow more corn. If you go to a town like West Yellowstone Montana you have trouble finding ethanol fuel. Lots of four wheelers and snow mobiles there and they don’t much like alcohol in their gas. It’s easier just to sell all non ethanol.

It's a good thing they don't use any fuel/oil to grow, fertilize, transport, cook, or pump the corn.

 

[dochawk]

Then how come non ethanol gives better mpg?

Ethanol has roughly 2/3 the energy per volume as gasoline, so lower mpg when using it.

However, it has higher octane, which means compression can be higher without detonation, and thus an engine that adjusts timing and/or boost can put out more power with it (although burning more than it would with gasoline).

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