Gasohol is a mixture of gasoline and alcohol that is useful as a fuel for an internal combustion engine. It tends to be a popular choice in countries where there isn’t a supply of oil reserves available to use.
List of the Pros of Gasohol
1. It lowers the emissions from the vehicle.
Using gasohol instead of a standard gasoline can lower the carbon monoxide emissions from a vehicle by up to 30%. It also reduces your volatile organic compound profile by 12%. You’ll get a massive 35% reduction in carbon dioxide as well.
2. Gasohol comes from renewable products.
Anything that is starchy and organic can be converted into a gasohol product. That means we can use fewer fossil fuels for our transportation needs with this resource.
3. You can mix it into various concentration levels.
The most common form of gasohol in the United States is a 90/10 mixture with gasoline and ethanol. You can find a 15% ethanol mixture in some American cities as well. In South America, a 27% concentration rate is common. Automakers are also offering vehicles to some consumers that run on 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline.
List of the Cons of Gasohol
1. It requires croplands to make the gasohol.
Farmers in the U.S. use corn to make gasohol products. International agricultural producers use their land to grow sugarcane for it. If we use our fields to make fuel instead of food, then there is an ethical concern about hunger to think about when using it. Scarcity causes prices to go up, which means our costs rise too.
2. You get less mileage with it.
When you mix alcohol with gasoline, then there is a lower energy content to the fuel. Engines must burn more gasohol to achieve the same performance levels, which means you’ll go fewer miles. The actual rates vary by vehicle, but most drivers lose between 5% to 10% of their overall fuel economy.
3. Some engines can’t use this product.
If you use too much alcohol in the fuel, then it can attack the various rubber seals and components that keep the systems working. Older vehicles usually need an upgrade before they can start using it.
Gasohol can help to provide a cheaper fuel to produce, but it can also raise costs for consumers because you might need to use more of it. That’s why evaluating each key point is necessary to determine if this option is right for you.