What is Flex Fuel and Its Future in India

Flex Fuel - What is It?

The flex-fuel is manufactured in a laboratory, unlike petrol and diesel, which are extracted directly from petroleum. The fuel is a mixture of gasoline and ethanol or methanol. Corn or sugarcane crops are used to make this ethanol, so it is a renewable resource. As well, flex-fuel, which is a blend of two different kinds of fuel, is stored in a single fuel tank, unlike bi-fuel vehicles, which require separate tanks to store fuel. Flex-fuel cars are not the same as bi-fuel vehicles.

For your information, bi-fuel cars have different tanks for various fuels. Cars that run on both petrol and CNG are referred to as bi-fuel cars. There are differences between the fuel tanks and the CNG cylinders, which makes sense.

Why use Flex Fuel?

As an alternative to petrol, there are numerous reasons to consider it.

Benefits/ Advantage of Flex Fuel:

Check out some of the reasons to switch to flex-fuel.

Flex Fuel is Environmentally Friendly:  The use of fuel has an impact on the environment today. Compared with gasoline, ethanol burns cleanly, so flex-fuel cars release fewer toxic fumes into the atmosphere. Moreover, flex-fuel emits fewer greenhouse gases, making it a greener option compared with traditional gasoline.

Burning Facility of Flex Fuel: In a flex-fuel vehicle, the mixture of fuel can be burned in whatever proportion is in the combustion chamber, and that is one of the great benefits. Fuel injection and timing are controlled by microprocessors and electronic sensors on the car.

Flex Fuel Engines Works on Advanced Technology: Electronic sensors are used in modern flex-fuel vehicles. With these technological advances, it is possible for your car to adjust its operation, for example by detecting the fuel blend and adjusting it appropriately. The ethanol content in modern flex-fuel cars ranges between 10 and 85 percent. As a result of its advanced technology, your vehicle will determine the most efficient proportions for you.

Flex Fuel is Sustainably Produced: Several flex-fuel vehicles operate on sustainable ethanol, which is created using ingredients such as cane sugar and corn. The low cost of ethanol makes it a great alternative to imported fuel.

Flex Fuel Provides Improved Performance: Using alternative fuel for a vehicle is often argued to negatively affect performance, but in reality, it can make it perform better. E85 won't degrade the performance of flex-fuel vehicles. On the contrary, there are some that actually produce more torque and horsepower.

Flex Fuel's Disadvantages:

It is important to be aware of some disadvantages of flex-fuel vehicles before purchasing one.

Flex Fuel Uses Sole Crop: In spite of the fact that flex-fuel can be produced sustainably by using corn and sugar, the problem with its production is that it has far-reaching negative consequences. The flex-fuel crops can't be used for other purposes than flex-fuel. As a result, animal feed prices may rise. In addition, certain weather conditions, such as flooding and drought, can also threaten corn. When corn harvests are poor, this can pose a problem for corn prices.

Possible Engine Damage May Occur Due to Flex Fuel Uses: It is obvious that you want to take the best care of your engine. Sadly, ethanol can absorb dirt easily. This can cause your engine to corrode and damage.

Mileage Provided by Flex Fuel: Fuel economy is a major concern for drivers of flex-fuel cars. Experts disagree on whether flex-fuel vehicles have similar gas mileage to regular fuel-powered vehicles. Some say they do, while others say they have lower gas mileage.

Although ethanol raises the octane level of a car, it is less energy-dense. This means that it would require 1.5 times more to provide the same amount of energy. Thus, using ethanol will result in fewer miles per gallon. Nevertheless, the savings from using ethanol will more than offset the loss of mileage caused by using regular petroleum products.

Limited Availability of Flex Fuel Stations: Flexible fuel is less likely to be found in gas stations because it isn't as economical as gasoline. There are currently few gas stations nationwide that offer ethanol, but this will likely change as more consumers purchase automobiles that can run on multiple fuels. Flex-fuel vehicles, however, come in a wide range of combinations, from 100 percent unleaded gas to 85 percent ethanol. Once your vehicle detects the blend, it will adapt its engine performance accordingly.

An Engine Running on Flex-Fuel - How Does it Work?

Is it possible that an engine that runs on regular petrol is also capable of running on flex-fuel? Absolutely! The answer is yes. A spark-ignition car can run on flex-fuel without any major modifications. The only additional components are a couple of sensor circuits in the fuel tank. Injectors can detect ethanol content in the fuel and then deliver exactly the right amount of gasoline to the engine according to the driver's input. It follows the same four strokes as a conventional SI engine.

The Future of Flex Fuel in India:

Nitin Gadkari, the Indian Transport Minister, advised automakers to develop alternative fuels a while ago, hoping to promote development in that industry. This is where the idea of a future-friendly fuel originates. Besides allowing carmakers to set up their own fuel stations, the government also encourages this development. There is one catch, though: it must be green fuel.

With a hybrid powertrain, flex-fuel might make sense at later stages, but with every drop of energy extracted from it. As you may be aware, TVS has already begun the race and is leading. The TVS Apache RTR 200 4V E100 motorcycle runs on E80 (ethanol) fuel, which is offered by the Indian motorcycle manufacturer.