Transport is one of the inevitable things of our modern life. There is no sign of a decrease in the demand for fuel, particularly in our country. The rising prices of fuel are becoming a nightmare for people. The government along with many organizations is tiring hard to find a solution for this increasing demand for fuel. Flex-fuel is one such solution. Government is keen on introducing flex fuels within the next 3 years.
What is Flex Fuel?
Flexible Fuel (commonly known as Flex-Fuel) is a combination of gasoline and methanol or ethanol. Some of the companies are also producing Flex Fuel Engines, which can run on more than one type of fuel. This technology had been introduced to the world in the 1990s. There were approximately 21 Million Flex Fuel Vehicles on the road. The most popular type of blending used now is E85. This blend contains the gasoline-ethanol mixture with the percentage of ethanol ranging from 50-85%. The other types of blends are E10, E15, E25 whose usability is very less and E98 which is used only in race cars.
What are the advantages of Flex Fuel?
- The lower calorific value would also impact the fuel economy and give lower mileage in terms of kmpl to the customer and therefore has to be priced lower than petrol suitably so that the running cost for the customer remains comparable.
- It had produced great results in the lesser emission of greenhouse gases.
- The most important advantage is Price. On the day of writing this blog, The price of Petrol is 105 Rs. Per litre. But Flex-fuel costs around only 60-80 Rs.
What are the disadvantages of Flex Fuel?
- One of the biggest disadvantages of Flex Fuel is Sole Use. The use of ethanol can be considered a disadvantage as well because any crops that are made available for fuel production cannot be used for any other use. This could lead to higher prices for products like animal feed that could otherwise be derived from them. Corn, in particular, is a labor-intensive crop to cultivate and is prone to drought, bad weather conditions, and disease.
- Ethanol can also, unfortunately, cause corrosion and damage to the engine, mainly because it absorbs dirt easily. But, The companies are striving hard to get rid out of this problem and we may expect a solution soon.
Although the advantages and disadvantages of flex-fuel vehicles will be debated for some time to come, one of the most popular fuels for these vehicles, ethanol, is finding favor with many in power positions. Ethanol has moved out of the research phase and may very well be the first alternative fuel to be implemented nationally
More technologies are being developed daily to reduce the usage of fossil fuels. The increasing demand for fuel had made middle-class people worry about their future. Soon, the demand will become uncontrollable if we are not conscious of the consumption of fuel. We should be aware of what is happening around us. Other than Flex Fuels, E-Vehicles and Solar Vehicles are also producing great results in the automobile field which leads to a greener and pollution-free world.
Happy Reading!
