Extreme gas mileage using non ethanol fuel

[ZABSMAV]

Yes, ethanol-free (E0) gas typically provides better mileage. Drivers generally see an improvement of about 3% to 4% in miles per gallon (MPG) compared to standard E10 (10% ethanol) fuel. [1]
While users on platforms like Pilots of America agree that you get better range, opinions on Reddit's Mechanic Advice indicate that the higher cost of ethanol-free gas often offsets the efficiency savings. [1]

Why the Difference?

• Energy Density: Pure gasoline packs more energy per gallon than ethanol. Ethanol contains about one-third less energy, so your engine has to burn more volume of an ethanol-blended fuel to produce the same amount of power. [1]
• Engine Tuning: Many modern vehicles are designed to efficiently run on E10, so the difference in MPG might be less noticeable. However, older vehicles and small engines often run more efficiently and avoid fuel-system corrosion using ethanol-free gas. [1, 2, 3]

Is it Worth the Cost?
It depends on how you use your equipment:

• Daily Drivers: The cost difference between regular E10 and premium ethanol-free fuel is usually larger than the 3% to 4% fuel savings you get at the pump. [1]
• Small Engines: It is highly recommended to use ethanol-free gas for lawnmowers, boats, chainsaws, and stored vehicles. Ethanol attracts moisture over time and can corrode fuel lines in infrequently used equipment. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

To see if it makes financial sense for your specific vehicle, compare local fuel prices and manually track your MPG for a few weeks on both fuel types. You can find local stations that sell pure gas by searching the Pure-Gas.org Database. [1]

You lost me with the quote from Reddit's Mechanic Advice that said "the higher cost of ethanol-free gas often offsets the efficiency savings".

The difference in price, where I live, for 88 octane ethanol-free Clear Gas is only 10 cents more than 87 octane gas with ethanol.

The lower compression of the internal combustion engine in a Ford Maverick hybrid, in normal around town driving, does not need anything higher than the 87 octane. According to Ford, 87 octane is standard for normal use.

Our 2023 has just the 2K tow but we will likely never tow with it since we have a real truck for truck towing needs, so the recommendation to emrun higher octane (91) while towing wouldn't apply to us.

Also won't waste money on the so-called "top tier" fuel. The ones that advertise that here are much higher per gallon than anywhere else.

Maverik Adventure Stops are extremely popular out west and are expanding further east. They are always packed with cars gassing up so their gas is always fresh. For the extranmiles per gallon for such a tiny difference at a fill up, we'll stick with the ethanol free gasoline.

I'll let our dealership shop tell us if it needs any additive when we have the plugs checked. Highly doubt it will.

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