Question

A flexible-fuel vehicle averages 26 mpg when fueled with gasoline. What would the average mpg-rating be for the vehicle when fueled with E85 (85% ethanol + 15% gasoline, by volume)? Assume that the fuel energy conversion efficiency is the same for both fuels.

Answer 1

A flexible-fuel vehicle averages 26 mpg when fueled with gasoline. That means the vehicle can run 26 miles per gallon of gasoline.

Now we use E85 (85% ethanol + 15% gasoline, by volume). We have to calculate the mpg rating. This we have to find out how many miles the vehicle can go if we use one gallon of E85.

We have given that the fuel conversion efficiency of ethanol and gasoline is the same. So we are not going to get any difference in the mpg rating. The mpg rating of the vehicle will remain the same as before 26 mpg.

This is because both ethanol and gasoline are not going to provide different mileage per gasoline since their efficiency is the same.