Flexible fuel vehicles in the United States are the world's second largest flexible fleet after Brazil, and there are about 17.4 million flexible fuel cars and light trucks operating by the end of 2014 Although the fleet of fuel vehicles flexible E85 increases, ethanol fuel use is actually limited due to lack of E85 refueling infrastructure and also because many owners of American fuel-fueled automakers are unaware they have a flexible E85 fuel vehicle. Flexible fuel vehicles are common in the Midwest, where corn is a major crop and is a major feedstock for ethanol fuel production. Also the US government has been using flexible fuel vehicles for years.
The US flexible fuel vehicle is optimized to run on a maximum mixture of 15% gasoline with 85% anhydrous ethanol (called E85 fuel). This limit in the ethanol content is set to reduce ethanol emissions at low temperatures and to avoid cold initial problems during cold weather, at temperatures lower than 11 Â ° C (52 Â ° F). The alcohol content decreases during the winter in an area where the temperature drops below 0 ° C (32 ° F) to the winter mix of E70.
Video Flexible-fuel vehicles in the United States
Histori
The first commercially flexible fuel vehicle was the Ford Model T, manufactured from 1908 to 1927. It was fitted with an adjustable jetting carburetor, enabling the use of gasoline or ethanol, or a combination of both. Other auto manufacturers also provide engines for ethanol fuel use. Ethanol is harmed by the frequent allegations that ethanol producers collaborate with liquor makers during the Prohibition. The dominance of oil as motor fuel was questioned in the US only after the 1973 oil crisis, resulting in a shortage of gasoline and an awareness of the dangers of oil dependence. This crisis opens up new opportunities for ethanol, methanol, and other alternative fuels.
In response to shocks caused by the first oil crisis, the US government provided initial support for developing alternative fuels, and sometime later, as well as a goal to improve air quality. Liquid fuels are preferred over gas fuels not only because they have better volumetric energy density but also because they are the most compatible fuels with existing distribution systems and machines, thus avoiding major departures from existing technology and taking advantage of vehicles and fueling infrastructure. California leads an ongoing alternative search with a focus on methanol. Ford Motor Company and other car makers responded to California's demand for vehicles using methanol. In 1981, Ford delivered 40 special methanol fuel (M100) Escorts to Los Angeles County, but only four fueling stations were installed. The biggest challenge in developing the technology of alcohol vehicles is getting all fuel system materials compatible with higher fuel chemical reactivity. Methanol is even more of a challenge than ethanol but much of the initial experience gained with the production of neat ethanol vehicles in Brazil is diverted to methanol. The success of this small M100 trial fleet caused California to request more of these vehicles, especially for government fleets. In 1983, Ford built 582 M100 vehicles; 501 went to California, and the rest to New Zealand, Sweden, Norway, England, and Canada.
In response to the lack of fueling infrastructure, Ford began the development of flexible fuel vehicles in 1982, and between 1985 and 1992, 705 experimental FFVs were built and shipped to California and Canada, including 1.6L Ford Escort, 3.0L Taurus, and 5, 0L LTD Crown Victoria. This vehicle can operate with gasoline or methanol with just one fuel system. Legislation was passed to encourage the US auto industry to begin production, which began in 1993 for M85 FFV at Ford. In 1996, the new Ford Taurus FFV was developed, with a fully capable model running in either methanol or ethanol mixed with gasoline. This version of Taurus ethanol became the first commercial production of E85 FFV. The momentum of the FFV production program at American car companies continued, though in the late 1990s, the emphasis shifted to the F85 version of FFV, as it is today. Ethanol is preferred over methanol because of the enormous support of the agricultural community, and thanks to the government's incentive program and corn-based ethanol subsidies. Support for ethanol also stems from the fact that it is a biomass fuel, which addresses the issue of climate change and greenhouse gas emissions, although currently these benefits are questioned and dependent on the raw materials used for ethanol production and the impact of changes in their indirect land use.
Maps Flexible-fuel vehicles in the United States
Technology and production
Since 1998, a total of 15.1 million flexible E85 fuel vehicles have been sold or leased in the United States by December 2012. Of this total, about 11 million flexible fuel and light truck cars are still operating in early 2013, up from 7.3 million in 2008, 4.1 million in 2005, and 1.4 million on US roads in 2001. E85 flexible fuel vehicles are becoming increasingly common in the Midwest, where corn is the main crop and is a major feedstock for fuel production ethanol. Also the US government has been using flexible fuel vehicles for years. Since 2008 almost all types of cars and light vehicles are available in the market with flexible fuel options, including sedans, vans, SUVs, and pickup trucks. For the 2011 model year there are about 70 vehicles capable of E85.
The E85 blend is used in a modified gasoline engine to receive higher ethanol concentrations, and fuel injection is regulated through a special sensor, which automatically detects the amount of ethanol in the fuel, allowing to adjust fuel injections and spark times according to the mixture that is actually available in the vehicle tank.
The American E85 flexible fuel vehicle was developed to run on any mixture of unleaded gasoline and ethanol, anywhere from 0% to 85% ethanol by volume. Both fuels are mixed in the same tank, and the E85 is sold already mixed. To reduce ethanol evaporation emissions and to avoid problems starting the engine during cold weather, the maximum ethanol blend is set to 85%. There is also a seasonal reduction of ethanol content to E70 (called the E85 winter mixture) in very cold regions, where temperatures fall below 0 ° C (32 ° F) during winter. In Wyoming for example, E70 is sold as E85 from October to May.
Fuel economy
Since ethanol contains nearly 34% less energy per unit volume than gasoline, E85 FFV has lower mileage per gallon than gasoline. However, this lower energy content is not directly translated to 34% reduction in miles per US gallon, as there are many other variables that affect specific fuel performance in certain engines, although for E85 the effect is significant. E85 will produce lower mileage than gasoline, and actual performance may vary depending on the vehicle. Based on the EPA-rated EPA mileage for all E85 models 2006, the average fuel economy for E85 vehicles is 25.56% lower than unleaded gasoline. When making a price comparison it should be considered that E85 has an octane rating of about 104 and can be used instead of premium gasoline.
Regional E85 retail prices vary widely across the US, at a more favorable price in the Midwest region, where most corn is grown and ethanol is produced. In early November 2010, the average US spread between E85 and gasoline was 13.4%, while in Indiana it was 10.1%, in Minnesota 20.3%, 18.3% in Wisconsin, only 2% in Maryland, 16.3% in California, and 7% in Utah. Depending on the capability of the vehicle, the E85 break-even price should be between 25 and 30% lower than gasoline. (See price comparison for most states at e85prices.com)
For the 2011 model year many models available are trucks and sports vehicles that get less than 20 mpg -US (12Ã, L/100Ã, km; 24 mpg -imp ) when filled with gasoline. The following table compares fuel economy, carbon footprint, and petroleum consumption for some popular gasoline-powered vehicles and their flexible fuel versions:
Pollution
The demand for ethanol fuel generated from corn fields in the United States is stimulated by the discovery in the late 90s that methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), the oxygenate additive in gasoline, contaminates ground water. Due to widespread and expensive litigation risks, and since the use of MTBE in gasoline was banned in nearly 20 countries in 2006, MTBE substitution opened up new markets for ethanol fuel. This shift also contributes to the sharp increase in E85 flexible vehicle production and sales since 2002. Ethanol also replaces toxic substances, air pollutants such as benzene, toluene, and xylene. Many countries require certain ethanol blends to reduce air pollution. Ethanol produces about 34% less air pollution than the average gasoline.
By 2016, ethanol blends in the US reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 40 million tonnes per year. During the entire life cycle, "from field to wheel," ethanol reduces emissions by about 34 percent. Second generation cellulose ethanol is even more efficient. A plant built by DuPont in Iowa achieved 90% emissions reduction.
Barriers to adoption
A 2005 survey found that 68% of American fuel-flexible car owners are unaware they have the E85 flex. This is due to the fact that the exterior of flexible and non-flex vehicles look exactly alike; there is no difference in the selling price between them; lack of consumer awareness about E85; and also the early decision of American automakers not to place any exterior labeling, so buyers can realize they are getting E85 vehicles. In contrast, all Brazilian manufacturers clearly mark FFV with a high quality badge or sticker on the exterior body, with a logo with several variants of the word Flex. Since 2006, many new FFV models in the US have a bright yellow gas cap to remind the driver of E85's ability. GM also used badging with the text "Flexfuel/E85 Ethanol" to mark the car clearly as the E85 FFV, and the early Ford flex-fuel model had a small sticker that read "FFV" and the "leaf and street" logo, and then introduced badging by keeping the "leaf and road" logo but change the text to "Flex Fuel".
By the end of 2014, there are approximately 17.4 million flexible fuel vehicles used in the country. However, according to the US Department of Energy in 2011 only 862,837 flexible fuel vehicles are driven regularly with E85. The 2005 Energy Policy Act, signed by President Bush on 8 August 2005, in Section 701 requires that federal government fleets capable of operating on alternative fuels to operate on this fuel exclusively, unless exemption is granted if fuel alternatives are not reasonably available; or if the required fuel costs are unreasonably more expensive than gasoline. In 2008 the Federal vehicle fleet comprised 594,900 vehicles, of which 128,491 runs on E85, representing most of the alternative fuel vehicles in the Federal fleet that year. According to the Government Accountability Office, in 2010 Federal employees receive waivers to use gasoline in 55 percent of fleet flexible fleet vehicles because the E85 is not available.
Some critics have argued that American automakers have produced an E85 flexible model motivated by a gap in the Average Fuel Economy Company requirements (CAFE), which allows for fuel economy credit for every flexible fuel vehicle sold, whether in practice or not this vehicle. driven with E85. This gap allows the automobile industry to meet CAFE targets in fuel economy by simply spending between US $ 100 to US $ 200 so that the cost of converting a conventional vehicle becomes flexible fuel, without investing in new technologies to improve fuel economy, and saving them potential fines for not reaching those standards in a given year model. In the example presented by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the body responsible for establishing the CAFE standard, the special treatment provided for alternative fuel vehicles, "converts a dual fuel vehicle that averages 25 mpg on gasoline or solar... to achieve a 40 mpg value for CAFE purposes. "The current CAFE standard is 27.5 mpg for cars and 22.2 mpg for light duty trucks. "
In late 2007, the CAFE standard received its first improvement in more than 30 years through the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), and is set to increase to 35 mpg by 2020. However, in May 2009 the Obama Administration announced a new harmonious national policy will require an average fuel economy standard of 35.5 mpg by 2016. Flexible CAFE-fuel credits are scheduled to expire in 2016, but because the 2007 EISA makes CAFE credits interchangeable between different car classes and can be traded on between companies, as well as automakers allowed to bring in more than five-year credits, flexible credit-fuel accumulated through 2016 can be carried and traded until 2020. The proposed CAFE standards in 2011 for the 2017-2025 period will allow for flexibility- fuel vehicles to receive additional credit but only when the car maker presents the data which proves how much E85 the vehicle has actually consumed.
The big restriction that hinders E85 flexible vehicle sales or refueling with E85, is the limited infrastructure available to sell the E85 to the public, since in 2014 only 2 percent of the E85 motor fuel station offered, up from about 1 percent in 2011 In November 2015, there were only 3,218 petrol stations selling E85 to the public throughout the US, while about 156,000 retail motor fuel outlets did not offer E85 blends. The number of E85 grew from 1,229 in 2007 to 2,442 in 2011, but only increased by 7% from 2011 to 2013, when the total reached 2,625. There is a large concentration of E85 stations in the Corn Belt countries, and by November 2015, the leading states were Minnesota with 274 stations, followed by Michigan with 231, Illinois with 225, Iowa with 204, Indiana with 188, Texas with 181, Wisconsin with 152, and Ohio with 126. Only eight countries do not have E85 available to the public, Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Montana, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The main obstacle to a faster expansion of E85 availability is that it requires a special storage tank at the pump, at an estimated cost of US $ 60,000 for each special ethanol tank.
Recent developments
Some members of the United States Congress called for mandatory production of flexible fuel vehicles. Also E85 and the Biodiesel Access Act propose to modify the current IRS limit on tax credits that currently only allow for the quantity of multiple fuel dispensers to exceed the cost of a conventional dispenser. The E85 and Biodiesel Access Act will increase credit from 30 percent of net refueling property costs to 50 percent and increase the maximum credit to $ 100,000. The law will also extend existing loans scheduled to expire at the end of 2009.
In 2008 Chrysler, General Motors, and Ford pledged to produce 50 percent of all their vehicle lines as flexible fuels in 2012 models, if fueling infrastructure is sufficiently developed. In early 2010, GM reaffirmed its commitment to biofuels and its determination to generate more than half of its 2012 production in the US market as a flexible E85 fuel vehicle. GM will begin introducing direct-injected and E-85-powered powertrains, and urge the deployment of more E85 stations, because "ninety percent of registered flex-fuel vehicles do not have E85 stations in their zip code, and nearly 50 percent, do not have E85 in their area . "
In 2008 Ford delivered its first flex-fuel hybrid plug-in as part of a demonstration project, Ford EscapePlug-in Hybrid capable of running on E85 or gasoline. General Motors announced that the new plug-in hybrid electric vehicle the Chevrolet Volt, launched in the US market in December 2010, will become flexible fuel in 2013. Volt's propulsion architecture allows to customize movers to other world markets such as the Brazil E100 or Europes generally use clean diesel.
In May 2009, President Barack Obama signed the Presidential Instruction with a view to promoting biofuels research and improving their commercialization. The guidelines set up an Inter-City Biofuel Working Group composed of three institutions, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Energy. The group will develop plans to increase the use of flexible fuel vehicles and assist in retail marketing efforts. They will also coordinate infrastructure policies that impact on supply, safe transport, and biofuel distribution to increase the number of refueling stations across the country.
The Obama administration has set the goal of installing 10,000 blender pumps nationwide by 2015. Blender or flexible fuel pumps simultaneously release E85 and other lower blends such as E50, E30 and E20 that can be used by the E85 flexible fuel vehicle. In April 2011 the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a regulation to include flexible fuel pumps in the Rural Energy Program for America (REAP). This rule will provide financial assistance, through grants and secured loans, to encourage station owners to install E85 and blender pumps.
In May 2011, the OpenSafe Standards Act (OFS) was introduced to Congress with bipartisan support. The bill requires that 50 percent of cars made in 2014, 80 percent by 2016, and 95 percent by 2017, be manufactured and guaranteed to operate on non-petroleum fuels, which include existing technologies such as flexible fuels, natural gas, hydrogen, biodiesel, plug-in electricity and fuel cells. Considering the rapid adoption experience with flexible fuel vehicles in Brazil and the fact that in 2010 the cost of making flexible-fuel vehicles is about $ 100 per car, the main purpose is to promote the massive adoption of flexible fuel vehicles capable of using ethanol or methanol. "
By December 2014, nearly half of the new vehicles manufactured by Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors are flexible fuels, which means roughly a quarter of all new vehicles sold in 2015 are capable of using up to E85. However, the obstacles to the widespread use of E85 fuel remain. The 2014 analysis by the Renewable Fuel Association (RFA) found that oil companies prevent or prevent affiliate retailers from selling E85 through franchise agreements and rigid brands, limited supply contracts, and other tactics. Reports show independent retailers are five times more likely to offer E85 than retailers carrying oil company brands.
List of fuel-flexible vehicles currently produced
- Audi
- Chrysler Corporation
- Ford Motor Company
- General Motors
- Jaguar Land Rover
- Mazda Motor Corporation
- Mercedes-Benz
- Nissan Motor
- Toyota
See also
- Alternative fuel vehicle
- Butanol fuel
- Ethanol fuel in the United States
- Flexible fuel vehicles in Brazil
- Green vehicle
- Hybrid electric vehicles in the United States
- List of flexible fuel vehicles by car manufacturers
- Plug-in electric vehicles in the United States
References
External links
- Vehicle Market Report 2013 TechTech, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- Clean Cities - Vehicle Buyer Guide 2014, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), US Department of Energy, December 2013.
- E85 flexible station locator
- A complete list of fuel-flexible 2014 models and older, Alternative Fuels Data Centers, the Clean Energy Department program of the US Department of Energy.
- Flex-Fuel Bait and Switch - See how many flexible fuel cars on the road and how many stations offer E85 in the US.
- Flexible Fuel Vehicle, US Department of Energy.
- Comparison of fuel economy among E85 2014 vehicles available in the US - (fueleconomy.gov) - US Environmental Protection Agency and US Department of Energy.
- Economy Guide to Fuel Economy of the 2014 Model, US Environmental Protection Agency and US Department of Energy, August 2014 (see page 39-43 for all E85 flexible fuel models available).
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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