Ethanol
Blends
Ethanol is blended with gasoline in various amounts for
use in vehicles. Low-level blends, up to E10, are classified as "substantially similar" to gasoline
by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), meaning they
can be used legally in any gasoline-powered vehicle; these
blends are sold in every state in the US. Nearly half of US
gasoline now contains up to 10% ethanol (E10) to boost octane
or meet air quality requirements. Research is underway to
inform the EPA's determination of whether intermediate ethanol
blends, such as E15 and E20, also can be used legally in standard
gasoline-powered vehicles. Low-level and intermediate blends
do not qualify as alternative fuels under the Energy Policy
Act of 1992 (EPAct).
E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline) qualifies as an alternative
fuel under EPAct. E85 can be used in flexible fuel vehicles,
which are designed to tolerate the fuel's high ethanol content.
E85 cannot be used legally in standard gasoline-powered vehicles.
Intermediate ethanol blends have an ethanol content greater
than 10% and less than 85%. Commonly considered blends include
E15 (15% ethanol, 85% gasoline) and E20 (20% ethanol, 80%
gasoline). Fueling large numbers of vehicles with intermediate
blends could provide similar benefits as fueling with low-level
blends while increasing gasoline displacement. However, intermediate
ethanol blends cannot yet be used legally in standard vehicles,
although they can be used today in flexible fuel vehicles.
Some fueling stations currently use "blender pumps" - fuel
dispensers that can create a variety of ethanol blends by
mixing E10 with E85.
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