Regan Brown
Flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs) are capable of operating on gasoline and any blend of gasoline and ethanol up to 83%. The most common commercially available FFV is the ethanol flexible-fuel vehicle, with about 60 million automobiles, motorcycles, and light-duty trucks manufactured and sold worldwide by March 2018. In recent years, flex-fuel vehicles have gained popularity due to their potential environmental benefits, such as reduced toxic fumes and greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional gasoline vehicles. However, flex-fuel technology is not new, with the first flex-fuel car launched by Volkswagen's Brazilian subsidiary in March 2003. While flex-fuel vehicles offer advantages in fuel flexibility and reduced emissions, they also face challenges in fuel economy, with potential decreases in range and measured fuel economy when operating on certain ethanol blends.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | Flex fuel, or flexible fuel, is an alternative fuel made of a combination of gasoline and methanol or ethanol. |
| History | Henry Ford's Model T, built from 1908 to 1927, was the first commercially produced flex-fuel vehicle. The technology was further developed in the early 1990s and used in the mass-produced 1994 Ford Taurus. |
| Current Availability | As of 2024, flex-fuel vehicles have become less common, with only a handful of new models available, mainly full-size pickups and cargo vans by Ford and General Motors. |
| Past Availability | By 2017, there were approximately 21 million flex-fuel vehicles on the road worldwide. As of 2022, there were more than 20.9 million FFVs in the United States alone. |
| Benefits | Flex-fuel vehicles offer improved acceleration performance with higher ethanol blends. They burn cleaner fuel, reducing toxic fumes and greenhouse gas emissions. Ethanol is also a domestically produced alternative to foreign oil. |
| Drawbacks | Ethanol absorbs dirt easily, which can potentially corrode and damage the engine. Ethanol production relies on crops, which could impact the availability and pricing of animal feed. |
| Fuel Economy | Fuel economy is generally lower with increased levels of ethanol, and E85 fuel may result in reduced range due to its lower energy content compared to gasoline. |
| Fuel Flexibility | Flex-fuel engines can operate with gasoline, any mixture ratio of gasoline and ethanol, or pure ethanol (E85). |
| Fuel Identification | E85 fuel typically has a pump octane number of 110, compared to gasoline's 84 to 93. |
| Taxation | Consumers driving flex-fuel vehicles may receive tax credits, reducing their tax obligation. |
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What You'll Learn
Flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs)
Flexible-fuel vehicles (FFVs) are designed to run on gasoline or gasoline-ethanol blends of up to 85% ethanol (E85). They have internal combustion engines and, besides a few modifications to the engine and fuel system, they are identical to gasoline-only models. FFVs experience no loss in performance when operating on E85, and some even generate more torque and horsepower.
The technology was first developed in the early 1990s and used in the mass-produced 1994 Ford Taurus. By 2017, there were approximately 21 million flex-fuel vehicles on the road. The most common commercially available FFV in the world market is the ethanol flexible-fuel vehicle, with about 60 million automobiles, motorcycles, and light-duty trucks manufactured and sold worldwide by March 2018. Brazil, the United States, Canada, and Europe are the biggest markets.
Brazilian flexible-fuel vehicles are optimized to run on any mix of E20-E25 gasoline and up to 100% hydrous ethanol fuel (E100). The Brazilian flex vehicles were initially built with a small gasoline reservoir for cold starting the engine when temperatures dropped below 15 °C (59 °F). However, an improved flex motor generation launched in 2009 eliminated the need for this secondary gas reservoir tank.
In Europe, FFVs are known as "flexifuel" vehicles, and automakers use badging in their FFV models with some variant of the word "flex". In the US, since 2008, FFV models feature a yellow gas cap with the label "E85/Gasoline".
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Ethanol-gasoline blends
Flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) are capable of operating with gasoline and any blend of gasoline and ethanol up to 83%. E85, or flex fuel, is a gasoline-ethanol blend containing 51% to 83% ethanol, depending on geography and season. Modern flex-fuel vehicles can contain 10 to 85% ethanol, and the vehicle will determine the most efficient proportions. FFVs are factory-made and similar to their conventional gasoline-only counterparts, except for an ethanol-compatible fuel system and a different powertrain calibration.
The most common commercially available FFV in the world market is the ethanol flexible-fuel vehicle, with about 60 million automobiles, motorcycles, and light-duty trucks manufactured and sold worldwide by March 2018. The adoption of ethanol flex-fuel vehicles was facilitated by the existing fuel distribution infrastructure in Brazil, where ethanol pumps were readily available due to the country's early Pró-Álcool ethanol program. By the end of 2014, flex-fuel cars represented 54% of the Brazilian registered stock of light-duty vehicles, while gasoline-only vehicles represented 34.3%. As of March 2018, 15 years after the launch of the first flex-fuel car, there were 30.5 million flex cars and light trucks and 6 million flex motorcycles registered in Brazil.
The development of flex-fuel technology began in Brazil in the late 1990s, with the first full flexible-fuel car, the Gol 1.6 Total Flex, launched by Volkswagen do Brasil in March 2003. Several Brazilian automakers followed suit, and by 2010, many global automakers were producing popular models of flex cars and light trucks. An improved flex motor generation was launched in 2009, eliminating the need for a secondary gas reservoir tank used for cold starts in earlier ethanol vehicles.
One of the key advantages of flex-fuel vehicles is their ability to burn whatever proportion of the fuel mixture is in the combustion chamber. Flex fuel is also more environmentally friendly, as ethanol burns cleaner than gasoline, resulting in fewer toxic fumes and greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, flex fuel can be sustainably produced from ingredients like cane sugar and corn, reducing dependence on foreign oil. However, there are also some disadvantages to consider, such as the potential impact on crop allocation and prices, and the fact that ethanol easily absorbs dirt, which can corrode and damage the engine.
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Flex-fuel technology
The history of flex-fuel technology can be traced back to the early 1990s, with Ford playing a pioneering role. Between 1985 and 1992, Ford developed and delivered 705 experimental FFVs, including the Ford Escort 1.6L, Taurus 3.0L, and LTD Crown Victoria 5.0L, primarily to California and Canada. In 1994, Ford Taurus became one of the first mass-produced flex-fuel vehicles, showcasing the technology's potential.
Brazilian engineers made significant contributions to the development of flex-fuel technology, particularly in the late 1990s. In March 2003, Volkswagen's Brazilian subsidiary introduced the first full flexible-fuel car, the Gol 1.6 Total Flex. This was followed by other Brazilian automakers, and by 2010, several major manufacturers, including General Motors, Fiat, Ford, Renault, and Honda, were producing popular flex-fuel models. Brazil's existing fuel distribution infrastructure, with thousands of filling stations offering ethanol pumps, facilitated the rapid adoption of flex-fuel technology in the country.
Flex-fuel vehicles offer several advantages. They are environmentally friendly as ethanol burns cleaner than gasoline, resulting in reduced toxic emissions and greenhouse gases. Flex-fuel vehicles are also equipped with electronic sensors that can gauge the fuel blend and adjust the fuel injection and timing accordingly. Additionally, consumers may receive tax credits for driving flex-fuel cars, reducing their tax obligations.
However, there are also some disadvantages to consider. The production of flex-fuel crops, such as corn, can impact the availability of these crops for other purposes, potentially affecting prices. Ethanol's tendency to absorb dirt can lead to engine corrosion and damage. Furthermore, flex-fuel vehicles may experience reduced fuel economy (miles per gallon) with higher ethanol blends, although they often demonstrate improved acceleration performance.
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Flex-fuel motorcycles
Flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs) are capable of operating with gasoline and any blend of gasoline and ethanol up to 83%. E85, or flex fuel, is a blend of 51% to 83% ethanol, depending on geography and season. FFVs have an internal combustion engine and are factory-made, so many vehicle owners may not realize their car is an FFV.
The most common commercially available FFV in the world market is the ethanol flex-fuel vehicle, with about 60 million automobiles, motorcycles, and light-duty trucks manufactured and sold worldwide by March 2018. The market is concentrated in Brazil, the United States, Canada, and Europe, led by Sweden.
The Brazilian fleet of flexible-fuel vehicles is the largest in the world. Since their inception in 2003, a total of 30.5 million flex-fuel cars and light-duty trucks were registered in the country, and over 6 million flex-fuel motorcycles by March 2018. The rapid success of flex vehicles in Brazil was facilitated by the existence of 33,000 filling stations with at least one ethanol pump available by 2006, thanks to the early Pró-Álcool ethanol program.
The first flex-fuel motorcycle was launched by Honda in March 2009, the CG 150 Titan Mix. In September 2009, Honda launched a second flexible-fuel motorcycle, the on-off-road NXR 150 Bros Mix. By December 2012, the five available models of flexible-fuel motorcycles from Honda and Yamaha reached a cumulative production of 2,291,072 units, representing 31.8% of all motorcycles manufactured in Brazil since 2009, and 48.2% of motorcycle production in 2012. Flexible-fuel motorcycle production passed the 3 million-unit milestone in October 2013 and the 4 million mark in March 2015.
Brazilian flexible-fuel vehicles are optimized to run on any mix of E20-E25 gasoline and up to 100% hydrous ethanol fuel (E100). One of the main objectives of flex-fuel motorcycles is to reduce CO2 emissions by 20% and achieve savings in fuel consumption of 5% to 10%.
EFlexMoto offers E85 flex fuel conversion kits that allow your motorcycle to run on E85, gasoline, or a combination of the two. The kit automatically optimizes fueling based on the blend in the tank and can be installed by the user or a professional.
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$69.99
Flex-fuel engines
The development of flex-fuel technology began in the early 1990s, with the first flex-fuel car launched in Brazil in March 2003 by Volkswagen. By 2010, many other automakers, including General Motors, Fiat, Ford, Peugeot, Renault, Honda, Mitsubishi, Toyota, Citroën, Nissan, and Kia Motors, were producing popular models of flex cars and light trucks. As of 2022, there were more than 20.9 million FFVs in the United States, with Brazil being the leading market for flex-fuel vehicles, with 30.5 million flex cars, light trucks, and motorcycles registered as of March 2018.
One of the main advantages of flex-fuel vehicles is their environmental impact. Ethanol burns cleaner than gasoline, resulting in fewer toxic fumes and greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, ethanol is often produced from sustainable sources such as cane sugar and corn. However, one disadvantage is that crops designated for flex-fuel production cannot be used for other sources, which can potentially increase the price of animal feed. Another concern with flex-fuel vehicles is their gas mileage, as ethanol contains less energy than gasoline, leading to lower fuel economy.
While flex-fuel vehicles have been predominantly cars and motorcycles, there have also been developments in other types of vehicles. For example, in 2004, GM do Brasil introduced the Chevrolet Astra 2.0, a taxi cab capable of using gasoline, ethanol, and compressed natural gas (CNG). In 2018, Toyota do Brasil announced the development of the world's first commercial hybrid electric car with a flex-fuel engine, capable of running on electricity and any blend of ethanol fuel and gasoline.
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Frequently asked questions
A flex-fuel vehicle (also known as an FFV) is capable of operating with more than one type of fuel, usually gasoline and ethanol blends.
No, flex-fuel vehicles are not as common as they once were. Nowadays, the only new vehicles compatible with flex fuel are full-size pickups and cargo vans by Ford and General Motors.
Flex-fuel vehicles are more environmentally friendly than traditional gasoline vehicles as ethanol burns cleaner. Flex-fuel vehicles are also eligible for tax credits.
One of the main concerns about driving a flex-fuel vehicle is its gas mileage. Ethanol is also more susceptible to absorbing dirt, which can potentially damage the engine.
Look for the "flex fuel" badge on the body, a yellow ring around the filler, or a yellow filler cap. The owner's manual will also confirm if the vehicle can use E85 fuel.
