Hybrid Mileage improvement with 100% ethanol-free gas

[Ozarkbeard]

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?

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[Glen Baker LLC]

I use it in the summer when we are in Utah.
It isn't available in southern Nevada.
When Maverik opened in southern NV they sold it. They quit several years ago.

 

[SLINGSHOT]

Alcohol has fewer btu's than gasoline. Less power, more fuel needed. Simple physics. Try to tell that to a farmer who has 2000 acres of corn.

 

[No Brand]

At .50 per gallon you are paying (on average $6.00 more per tank) or the equivalent of 2 gallons of Regular 87 octane.

5 additional MPG does not justify the .50 per gallon.

The best benefit of True Gas is your engine will have less water condensation in the fuel system and the engine should last longer.

I specifically buy True Gas for use in Chainsaws, mowers and generators along with Stabil treatment. Chainsaws, mowers and generator don't get put to use as often.

 

[C J Cox]

List of stations selling ethanol free gas US and Canada. From experience not all are selling at the pump. Some have it in gallon cans for small engines.

https://www.pure-gas.org/

I use it only for my mowers and hand held lawn equipment.

 

[dochawk]

Alcohol has fewer btu's than gasoline. Less power, more fuel needed. Simple physics. Try to tell that to a farmer who has 2000 acres of corn.

more specifically, about 2/3 of the energy of gasoline by volume.

So 10% ethanol means that much is only 2/3 strength, so roughly 3% lower mileage as a starting point. (I first observed this when both were available in California, and I hadn't known about this; just that the cheaper brand cost me a mpg on a 450 mile drive I regularly took).

Also, realize that octane has nothing to do with energy content. Rather, it resists knocking. While lower energy, the octane in ethanol is significantly higher. This allows higher compression.

Ecoboost and powerboost engines monitor on the fly, and can run at more aggressive timing and higher boost on higher octane fuel (up to about 97, intro).

 

[JPatterson]

Gasohol does contain less energy per gallon. 10% ethanol X 33% less energy in ethanol would result in 3 to 4 % less energy per gallon vs pure gasoline.
Not likely to increase mpg by 5 mpg though. More like 1.5 to 2.

“The energy content of ethanol is about 33% less than pure gasoline. The impact of fuel ethanol on vehicle fuel economy varies depending on the amount of denaturant that is added to the ethanol. The energy content of denaturant is about equal to the energy content of pure gasoline. In general, vehicle fuel economy may decrease by about 3% when using E10 relative to gasoline that does not contain fuel ethanol.”

https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=27&t=4

 

[Master Blaster]

List of stations selling ethanol free gas US and Canada. From experience not all are selling at the pump. Some have it in gallon cans for small engines.

https://www.pure-gas.org/

I use it only for my mowers and hand held lawn equipment.

This list seems pretty outdated and misleading. E.g: In order to decrease the carbon load in fuel, it is illegal in Canada since 2022 to use gas that contains no alcohol, but there are plenty of stations incorrectly listed. The only place that I can think of that sells alcohol-free fuel for older small engines is Home Depot at $10/quart.

 

[Snox801]

At .50 per gallon you are paying (on average $6.00 more per tank) or the equivalent of 2 gallons of Regular 87 octane.

5 additional MPG does not justify the .50 per gallon.

The best benefit of True Gas is your engine will have less water condensation in the fuel system and the engine should last longer.

I specifically buy True Gas for use in Chainsaws, mowers and generators along with Stabil treatment. Chainsaws, mowers and generator don't get put to use as often.

That’s not true about condensation. Alcohol absorbs water. Hence why dry gas works.
It has potential to contain more water but is actually better when it comes to water than pure gas. That still collects water but they separate. Up north here it was common to get frozen fuel lines until we went to 10 percent e. Problem solved as it burns the water off.

 

[Michael42]

I tried one tank of gas that was 91 octane got maybe 1 1/2 mpg better.. it had the 10% gas mixture.
Not worth it.

 

[SloopJB]

Alcohol has fewer btu's than gasoline. Less power, more fuel needed. Simple physics. Try to tell that to a farmer who has 2000 acres of corn.

With 2000 acres I would guess he has a diesel combine

 

[GmanGM]

more specifically, about 2/3 of the energy of gasoline by volume.

So 10% ethanol means that much is only 2/3 strength, so roughly 3% lower mileage as a starting point. (I first observed this when both were available in California, and I hadn't known about this; just that the cheaper brand cost me a mpg on a 450 mile drive I regularly took).

Also, realize that octane has nothing to do with energy content. Rather, it resists knocking. While lower energy, the octane in ethanol is significantly higher. This allows higher compression.

Ecoboost and powerboost engines monitor on the fly, and can run at more aggressive timing and higher boost on higher octane fuel (up to about 97, intro).

Apparently Mazda does this monitoring and if high octane increases the HP - they publish this so that HP addicts like my son buy it ( and thus waste money they don’t have).

 

[Gray Goose]

One advantage of ethanol blend not everyone is aware of: It prevents fuel line freeze up.
Back in the 70's before ethanol blends, used to carry a bottle of HEET in winter. HEET is essentially a bottle of ethanol. Not having to worry about fuel line freeze is worth the small sacrifice in MPG. At least up here in the frozen tundra.

 

[Tim d]

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?

Are you coming out ahead though considering your paying 50 cents more per gallon? That's a huge difference!

 

[Ozarkbeard]

Are you coming out ahead though considering your paying 50 cents more per gallon?

I haven't done the math; but according to others on here who have, no.

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