Arif Khokar
Says who ? There's a lot of outdated data out there ! I've seen that many ppl quote a 70s document ( that's unfavourable to ethanol ) still !
If that were true then there would be *zero* point in making it as a fuel ! It would be uneconomic at the first hurdle ! Clearly this isn't so.
If it's sunshine then basically nothing, sunshine !
The energy required could indeed come from solar power !
About the same as I understand it.
You may know that Saab were the first motor company to make turbos widely available - indeed it's their 'thing'.
There's a new 'ethanol tuned' Saab 9-5 that delivers *more* bhp on ethanol than on gasoline by using a higher boost pressure when running on ethanol ! I actually thought that most ppl might actually rather *like* that !
You can be green and actually go faster !
And the engine runs cleaner on ethanol too !
I'm sure the numbers will become more widely available as more experience is gained. The outlook seems promising though.
Here's some links to articles about Saab's FFV ( flexible fuel vehicle ) 9-5. Note that Saab has simply taken the lead. There's nothing to stop Audi or whoever from following their lead. Indeed turbos make sense generally - whether your fuel is gasoline or alcohol.
I do indeed personally experience the 'turbo grin' on a regular basis. ;-)
Graham.
" In its Saab turbo application, the high 104 RON octane rating of E85 fuel, the 85 per cent ethanol-gasoline blend most commonly available at filling stations, also produces a significant 20 per cent increase in maximum engine power, up from 150 to 180 bhp. "
