Details on Flex-Fuel Vehicles

Vehicles that can run on several fuels are known as flex-fuel vehicles. This technology was developed in the 1980s. The major fuels utilised are gasoline and many alternative fuels, such as pure ethanol and ethanol-gasoline mixes. An ethanol-gasoline blend with a 20–26 % ethanol ratio is already used in Brazil. Another ethanol–gasoline (E85) mix with 85% ethanol is used in the United States. Flex-fuel vehicles are efficient in terms of types of fuel composition to reduce the use of natural oils like petrol and diesel. 

What Exactly are Flex-fuel Vehicles (FFVs)?

• Vehicles with Flex-fuel engines run on a mixture of gasoline and ethanol. FFVs will allow cars to run on all mixes and unblended gasoline.
• Flex-fuel vehicles (FFV) may run on either 100% gasoline or 100% bioethanol, or a combination of the two.
• Ethanol is a byproduct of sugarcane production, although cereals may also produce it. In a nutshell, ethanol is a sustainable fuel derived from diverse plant components known collectively as biomass.
• A decent Flex-fuel car can blend up to 83% ethanol with gasoline, a global norm.
• A tiny processor is installed inside the fuel system of flex-fuel cars; the processor recognises the fuel blend being used and dynamically changes the ignition time and the combination of air and fuel.

Difference Between Flex-fuel Vehicles and Normal Vehicles: 

Flex-fuel vehicles resemble conventional automobiles in appearance. The only difference between a flex-fuel vehicle and a standard vehicle is that it can operate on either regular petrol. Flex-fuel vehicles use an ethanol/gasoline combination chamber that contains 85 % ethanol and 15 % gasoline. According to accounts, automobile manufacturers began developing flex-fuel vehicles in 1988, when legislators approved the Alternative Motor Fuels Act. The law gives tax breaks for the manufacturing of alternative-fuel vehicles. 

The Most Vital Components of a Flex-Fuel Vehicle:

• Cell: The Cell powers the vehicle’s components and accessories and starts the engine.
• Gasoline injection system: This mechanism injects gasoline into the engine’s combustion chambers in preparation for burning.
• ECM: The ECM regulates the fuel system, spark ignition, and emissions system; analyses vehicle operation; protects the engines from overuse, and discovers and resolves issues.
• Fuel line: A metal tube or flexible hose transports fuel to the engine’s fuel system from the tank.
• Pump: A pump delivers gasoline to the engine’s fuel system from the container through the fuel line.
• Fuel container: This tank stores fuel for the engine.
• Exhaust system: The ventilation system sends fumes from the engine out the tailpipe. A three-way catalyst is designed to lower engine-out emissions in the exhaust manifold.
• Internal combustion engine system: In this system, gasoline is pumped into either the intake plenum or the combustion chamber, where it is mixed with air and burned by a spark plug sparking.
• Gearbox: The gearbox is responsible for sending mechanical energy from the motor to the wheels.

Advantages of Flex-fuel Vehicles:

• FFVs are intended to minimise the use of dirty fossil fuels and hazardous emissions.
• Because biofuels ethanol costs Rs 60-62 per litre only and petrol prices are more than Rs 100 per litre in many parts of the country, using ethanol will save Indians money Rs 30-35 per litre daily.
• For India, FFVs offer a special advantage in allowing automobiles to use varying amounts of ethanol-mixed gasoline available in different parts of the country.
• Furthermore, these vehicles are a logical extension of the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas’s Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) project in January 2003.

Challenges of Using Flex-fuel Vehicles (FFVs):

• Customer adoption will be difficult since the ownership and running costs will be prohibitively high compared to 100% gasoline automobiles.
• When utilising 100% ethanol, operating expenses will be more than 30% higher (due to lower fuel efficiency) (E100).
• Because ethanol has different chemical properties than gasoline, flex-fuel engines are more costly. Ethanol has a lower calorific value (40%) than gasoline and a higher latent heat of evaporation, which causes charge/combustion cooling.
• Ethanol also acts as a solvent, which can cause engine wear and tear by dissolving the protective oil layer.

Why is the Indian Government Moving for FFVs?

• Last year (FY21), India’s oil import bill was $62.7 billion, equalling just the first seven months of this year (April-October). To make matters worse, the currency is at its lowest level in three years. The administration is anxious to reduce oil imports by developing fuel replacements such as ethanol, hydrogen, and electricity.
• According to calculations, even a push to the E20 level might result in $4 billion in annual savings. This is only achievable if flex-fuel vehicles become accessible on the market. Furthermore, FFVs will assist the government in meeting its pollution reduction objectives.

Conclusion:

Although the benefits and drawbacks of flex-fuel cars have been discussed for some time, one of the most common fuels for these vehicles, ethanol, is gaining favour with people in positions of power. More ethanol refineries are asking for authorisation to build new operations. Ethanol has progressed beyond the research stage and may be the first alternative fuel to be used nationwide, benefiting the further popularity of flex-fuel cars.