Here you will find the main differences between Gasoline and Alcohol, and you will be able to find out which of the two is more worthwhile for your vehicle. To further benefit our esteemed readers, we will present a quick and easy way to calculate which of the two fuels is more worthwhile in your city.

In addition, those of you who already have a flex-fuel vehicle, or are thinking about purchasing one, will find some interesting facts about the use of the two fuels in question on the road and in the city.

Some differences between Gasoline and Alcohol

At gas stations in Brazil, a liter of alcohol is always cheaper financially than a liter of gasoline. Therefore, a consumer who wants (and can) fill up their car’s tank with one of these fuels will spend less if they choose alcohol.

However, this does not mean that the consumer will only have advantages with this choice, and we will explain why.

Alcohol (also known as ethanol) is a very volatile and not very dense substance, that is, it evaporates faster and has a lower amount of energy when compared to gasoline. Therefore, a tank full of alcohol tends to last less than a tank full of gasoline.

Gasoline, in turn, is a denser and less volatile substance, which has more energy when compared to the same amount of alcohol. This energy corresponds to a value approximately 30% greater than the amount of energy provided by alcohol.

In other words, when we compare the same amount of gasoline and ethanol, ethanol has a yield of approximately 70% of gasoline. (keep this value in mind).

Another important issue when deciding between alcohol and gasoline refers to the environmental issue. It is a fact that both gasoline and ethanol are less polluting than diesel (you can learn more about pollution caused by diesel by clicking here). However, these fuels are also major pollutants, and it is important to learn more about their impacts on the environment.

Studies conducted by Embrapa (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation) have shown that gasoline is more harmful to the environment and human health than alcohol.

Gasoline, which is derived from petroleum, emits several polluting gases. Its emissions contribute to the greenhouse effect and global warming. In addition, its emissions are also very harmful to health, like most fuels.

Ethanol is a fuel derived from sugarcane, which also emits polluting gases. However, its use in place of gasoline results in a significant reduction in the emission of some pollutants, such as carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxide (NO).

Gasoline vs. Alcohol Calculation

When paying for fuel, consumers should keep in mind that what they are paying for is a certain amount of energy for their vehicle. To make it easier to understand, imagine a driver who chooses to fill up their car with gasoline; they pay about 30% more than if they filled up with ethanol.

We can then conclude that ethanol is about 70% of the price of gasoline, so it is not difficult to relate the yield to the price and realize that what we are paying for is, in reality, the amount of energy.

There are calculations that can be made to check whether, given the fuel prices, it is financially cheaper to choose ethanol or gasoline.

To do this, we will explain how you can check which is “worth more”:

To obtain the information, you just need to divide the price of a liter of ethanol by the price of a liter of gasoline. If the result of this division is less than 0.7, ethanol is worth more. If it is greater than 0.7, then gasoline is cheaper.

It is normal to wonder how this calculation works, so we will explain it in more detail. Basically, the calculation works as follows: divide the value of ethanol by the value of gasoline, and transform the result into a percentage. If the value is less than 70%, ethanol is worth more, while if the value is greater than 70%, gasoline is the best option.

However, we must warn you here! Each car has its own autonomy, that is, the value of 70% is an average estimate, a reference, and may not be the reality of your car. To get a value that is closer to your reality, fill up your vehicle first with one fuel, then with the other, and then calculate how many kilometers you traveled using one liter of fuel. If the difference in consumption is less than 30%, ethanol is worth it financially. If the value is greater than 30%, gasoline is the best option.

Overall, which one is more worthwhile?

If we are talking about the car’s performance in the city, drivers who own a flex-fuel car can do the calculations already mentioned and check which fuel is more worthwhile in their city at a given time.

When it comes to the highway, the most recommended fuel (in most cases) is gasoline. This is because gasoline has a higher yield than ethanol, and since the car’s consumption decreases significantly when on the highway, a fuel with a higher yield is more recommended.

There are rumors about problems related to changing fuel when you are used to filling your flex-fuel vehicle with only one type; such claims are nothing more than a myth.

If your car is flex-fuel, it was manufactured with technology prepared to accept both gasoline and ethanol. Therefore, if you have a flex-fuel car and decide to change fuel, even if you have only used one in your vehicle until now, you can certainly make the change.

Do you have any questions or want to know more? Contact ON Petro on our contact page.