Gasoline or alcohol: which pays off more? Check it out on the g1 calculator
[ad_1]
Cost-benefit is measured based on the price and performance of each fuel. This is an average calculation, and the result may vary depending on each vehicle, says an expert. Gasoline or alcohol (ethanol)? This is one of the big questions when it comes to cost-effectiveness when fueling flex-fuel vehicles — those that have the capacity to run on both types of fuel. To help with the decision, g1 prepared a calculator that indicates what is most worthwhile when filling up, based on the so-called 70% rule — which considers the price and performance of each fuel. To use the calculator, just select the fuel (alcohol or gasoline), include the price seen at the gas station and click to calculate: How does the calculator work? The average calculation is based on the price and performance of each fuel. With the oscillation of gasoline and ethanol values at gas stations, the most advantageous option may vary. Prices can also be quite different when considering each region of the country. Weekly data from the ANP (National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels), for example, show these discrepancies in the published surveys. The average count for knowing what’s most worthwhile, however, is always the same — and it’s less complicated than it sounds. This calculation exists because gasoline yields more than alcohol. According to specialists, ethanol is more advantageous when it costs up to 70% of the price of gasoline. The calculation in practice The calculation of the g1 tool is as follows: when you select and enter the price of alcohol, this value is divided by 0.70 — that is, 70%. In the case of gasoline, the price is multiplied by 0.70. Why the 70% rule? Professor Marcelo Alves, from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Poli/USP explains that this calculation is based on the calorific power of fuels, which means the amount of energy existing in the molecule of each one of them. Molecules are properties of a substance composed of one or more atoms. Atoms are, in turn, formers of matter. That is, anything that takes up space and has mass. “The calorific value therefore means how much energy you can extract per mass of fuel. In other words, per unit of mass of fuel”, he says. The professor also lists other specifications, considering the density (ratio between the mass of a material and what it occupies) of each fuel. “On a cold day, for example, both gasoline and alcohol become denser, and this variation in density is not the same for both.” “The 70% rule, therefore, is valid as an indicative number, based on empirical data [confirmado a partir de experiências]”, reinforces. He also clarifies that there may be a difference according to each vehicle, including if the fuel injection system in the engine is optimized to burn ethanol or gasoline. “Therefore, the driver needs to analyze an average for his own car”, suggests.
[ad_2]
Source link