Tuesday Truth #11: Ethanol Improves Engine Performance
Ethanol provides a high quality, high octane fuel for exceptional engine performance and reduced emissions. Here are just a few points on how ethanol improves engine performance.
- Ethanol helps prevent wintertime problems by acting as a gas-line antifreeze, allowing the engine to perform at top performance levels. [Source: Virginia Cooperative Extension: Fuel Ethanol, http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/bse/442-884/442-884.html, accessed 8/19/08]
- Ethanol has a 113 octane rating, making it the highest performance fuel on the market, far surpassing unleaded with an octane of 87 and premium unleaded with an octane of 93. [Source: MSNBC, “Ethanol Boosters See Indy 500 Win,†http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12740848/,  accessed 8/19/08]
- Starting in 2007, the IndyCar Series has been using 100% ethanol as its official race fuel. According to Les Mactaggart, Senior Technical Director for the IndyCar Series, “Our decision to switch the IndyCar Series over to 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol was a reflection of our confidence in ethanol’s performance capabilities.†[Source: Driving Ethanol, http://www.drivingethanol.org/motorsports/indycar.aspx, accessed 8/19/08]Â
