What is flex fuel

Flex-fuel vehicles are vehicles that can operate with multiple fuels (or fuel blends). This technology was created in 1980 and there are millions of flex fuel vehicles in the United States. Flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) use an internal combustion engine and can run on petrol or a combination of petrol and ethanol up to 83%. FFVs feature a single fuel system, and the majority of the components are identical to those found in a traditional gasoline-only automobile. To compensate for the varied chemical characteristics and energy content of ethanol, several unique ethanol-compatible components are necessary, such as adjustments to the fuel pump and fuel injection system. The engine control module (ECM) is additionally adjusted to accommodate the increased oxygen concentration of ethanol.

How Do Flex Fuel Cars Work?

Image Credit: U.S Department of Energy

Flex Fuel Emissions

Due to the use of ethanol, flex fuel cars offer some advantages in terms of carbon emission over conventional gasoline-based vehicles.

E85 (or flex fuel)—a high-level, gasoline-ethanol blend—is less volatile than gasoline and low-level ethanol blends and results in lower evaporative emissions.

How Ethanol Make a Difference?

• Ethanol increases the heat of vaporization of the fuel, which causes a reduction in the intake air temperature.
• Ethanol decreases fuel molar mass and stoichiometric air–fuel ratio.

Flex Fuel Car in India

The Indian government has been actively promoting flex-fuel technology.This push has encouraged automakers to focus more on developing flex-fuel cars and motorcycles.

The Toyota Innova became the world’s first car to feature a flex-fuel engine capable of running fully on ethanol. This achievement has sparked discussions around greener and cleaner fuel and powertrain technology. Apart from India, countries like the United States and Brazil have also been emphasizing flex-fuel technology.

• Advantages of Flex Fuel:

  • Cost Savings: The blend of petrol and ethanol is cheaper than traditional petrol, resulting in significant savings for vehicle owners.
  • Environmental Benefits: Ethanol burns cleaner, reducing toxic emissions.
  • Similarity to Petrol Models: Flex-fuel vehicles are virtually identical to petrol-only models, with minor engine and fuel system modifications.

• Emission Standards and Testing:

  • The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has introduced stricter emission standards for flex-fuel vehicles in India.
  • These rules require bi-fuel vehicles with flex-fuel options to undergo tests for both gas and particulate pollutants.
  • Vehicles running on hydrogen only need to be tested for nitrogen oxide.

• Future Prospects:

  • The Indian government plans to make flex-fuel engines compulsory for the automobile industry in the country.
  • This move aims to benefit farmers and boost the economy by utilizing excess ethanol potential.