In France you can currently fill up with E85 petrol at 3,658 places, a biofuel that is extracted from the processing of vegetable agricultural material. And its sales are increasing year after year. The reason is clear. You currently pay an average of 1.82 euros for a liter of Super 95 (E10) and 1.92 euros for a liter of Super 98 (E5). A liter of E85 petrol in France costs between 0.80 cents and 1 euro, depending on the region. Biofuel enjoys a favorable tax regime with our southern neighbors, which also puts pressure on the price.
It is not yet for sale with us, because there is no legal framework for it yet. That will come. But the chance that the price differences will be as great as in France is small.
Flexifuel
And besides, with the exception of a number of models, cars are not yet designed to run smoothly on biofuel. This has to do with the percentage of ethanol in the fuel. E5 or E10 in our tank represents the percentage of ethanol that has been added to the gasoline, so 5 or 10 percent. “Bio-ethanol E85 consists of only 15 percent gasoline (RON 95) and 85 percent bio-ethanol (ethyl alcohol). So roughly the opposite. This fuel is therefore only intended for ‘flexifuel’ cars, cars that are made by the car manufacturer to be able to drive on them,” says Mich Vergauwen of VAB. And there aren’t too many. Ford, among others, has a few models. (Read more below the photo)
Mich Vergauwen from VAB explains why E85 can be harmful to a car. — © Wim Kempenaers
“E85 is only intended for ‘flexi-fuel’ cars, cars that are made by the car manufacturer to be able to drive on them”
Forget me
VAB
Energy density
So if you fill up biofuel in a regular petrol car, you risk having problems. “The engine control of a car is pre-programmed and provides a certain energy density. For 1 liter of E5 or E10 you need roughly 2.2 liters of ethanol to generate the same energy. So more gasoline must be injected into the engine to achieve the same power. However, the mixture must also have the correct gasoline/air ratio. And that is not the case here, so the engine management has to adapt. Moreover, if you return to Belgium afterwards and fill up with E5 or E10 again as before, you could initially ‘drown’ your car because too much fuel is temporarily injected into the engine. Cheaper, yes, but it is strongly discouraged if your car is not equipped for it,” says automotive technology teacher Thomas Crauwels at Thomas More Campus De Nayer University of Applied Sciences. If you have a car that is more than twenty years old, the ethanol also risks attacking rubber pipes.
“If you have a car that is older than twenty years, the ethanol also risks attacking rubber pipes.”
Thomas Crauwels
Automotive technology teacher
And how do the French do that, you may wonder? Many French people who buy a new car therefore choose a ‘flexifuel’ car that can run on E85. Or they have their car modified. The prices of these conversion kits vary widely and depend from brand to brand and even from model to model. But if you live in France and you do a lot of mileage, you will certainly get the purchase price out of it.
If you want to know whether your car is ‘flexifuel’, simply look at the inside of your fuel filler flap, which clearly states which types of fuel are suitable for your car. “And did you accidentally fill up with E85? Then it is best not to start the car and seek help to avoid engine damage,” says Mich Vergauwen of VAB.
If you want to know whether your car is ‘flexifuel’, simply look at the inside of your fuel filler flap, which clearly states which types of fuel are suitable for your car. — © Shutterstock