Car Fule

With the exploding fuel pricesand the sale prices for new electric carsthe use of ethanol attracted more and more French people. This fuel consists of unleaded 95 mixed with 60 to 85% ethanol. The latter is obtained by fermentation of plant materials. As it is a fuel that makes very little use of fossil fuels, it benefits from advantageous taxation in France. E85 is thus exchanged at the pump at 70 cents per liter on average ! It also benefits in most departments from a free gray card! We find nearly 2,700 stations distributing E85 superethanol (his name at the pump) in France, compared to 1500 LPG stations. Many advantages over conventional gasoline and diesel fuels, which could tempt you to take the plunge.

A conversion for petrol engines

In France, only Ford and Land Rover still offer series models that run on dual-fuel petrol/ethanol. These “FlexFuel” versions (the English translation) were not retained by the French manufacturers. While Renault and Stellantis have already developed these technologies for their emerging markets. The solution in France is to converting his gasoline car to ethanol bi-fuel. This is already one of the prerequisites for this conversion: only petrol engines are concerned, E85 is not suitable for diesel engines. Another condition, that the petrol engine has been manufactured after January 1, 2001 (Euro 3 standard). It is recommended not to convert models that have been noted for reliability issues. 1.2 Puretech Stellantis, 1.2 TCe de Renault for instance. So what is it and how do you do it?

Read also :

E85: what are the risks of driving with this fuel?

What future for E85 superethanol after 2035?

E85: towards an increase in taxation?

Some prerequisites to know

The use of E85 in a thermal car originally requires the installation of an E85 box. This is used to modify the data sent to the computer to adjust the injection system. Ethanol having a lower calorific value compared to unleaded 95, it requires inject more to get a ideal air/fuel mixture. Without it the engine would continue to run as if it was powered by gasoline only. This could cause a lean mixture in the engine and damage the mechanical parts. Different types of units are offered depending on the nature of the injection (direct or indirect), the standard to which the vehicle complies, and finally its power.

The main equipment manufacturers present on the market offer kits ranging from approximately €700 to €1,600 (installation included), depending on the model. In order for this new carburation to pass the technical inspection, it is also obligatory to proceed to a change of gray card. Energy type changed from ES for gasoline to FE for superethanol.