Frantic

Does anyone know if the Civic Hybrid can use Ethanol based fuel?

Ive heard they cant use the more popular E-85(85% ethanol), but can use the E-10, is this correct?

TomH

Yes, this is the great thing about them!

E-10 ethanol is better for the environment and can be used in the civic Hybrid.

Other car makes are making e-85 supported cars, I think the next gen of the civic hybrid will also support this.

twinkle

Where are you all getting ethanol? Is it not enough of a pain to have to charge the battery, you going to make it worse by running on hard to obtain fuel too?

imported_blueangel

I know the GX model (well I just found out about it), will use natural gas. It is apparently very popular and very environmentally safe.

jimmy

Ethanol isn't hard to obtain. Its available at the smaller gas stations.
Most of the big stations have not introduced it yet due to mixed public feelings about ethanol.

Any small local gas station will have at least one ethanol bowser though.

imported_blueangel

I will have to keep my eyes open for it. I have never seen ethanol before.

What is a bowser?

imported_Mikey

Its where you get the gas from.. some people call it a bowser.

Didnt you know that?

Rokki

Why the big push for ethanol? Takes more energy to make ethanol than you save. I heard, however, that Brazil makes ethanol out of sugar cane and it's better than the corn ethanol we're making.

CharlieLink

Ethanol is one of Nebraska's best selling exports. I think every station in this State sells E-10 It is also the cheapest fuel here. At 89 octane rating, it beats the regular 87. Some cars don't like it. My LTZ had too many fuel injectors short out on it that had to be replaced. Just about every carburetor and most injected engines love it. I understand the Si (DOHC) wants to drink Premium for the higher compression and specific energy required. For best results, read what the manuals and actual users have to say. (I have no experience with hybrids.)

CG99

I have a feeling that some people need to be educated on what Ethanol is and what it does
Read this -

The largest single use of ethanol is as a motor fuel and fuel additive. The largest national fuel ethanol industries exist in Brazil. The Brazilian ethanol industry is based on sugarcane; as of 2004, Brazil produces 14 billion liters annually, enough to replace about 40% of its gasoline demand. Also as a result, they announced their independence from Middle East oil in April 2006. Most new cars sold in Brazil are flexible-fuel vehicles that can run on ethanol, gasoline, or any blend of the two. In addition, all fuel sold in Brazil contains at least 25% ethanol.

The United States fuel ethanol industry is based largely on corn. As of 2005, its capacity is 15 billion liters annually. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 requires U.S. fuel ethanol production to increase to 28 billion liters (7.5 billion gallons) by 2012. In the United States, ethanol is most commonly blended with gasoline as a blend of up to 10% ethanol, known as E10 and nicknamed "gasohol". This blend is widely sold throughout the U.S. Midwest, which contains the nation's chief corn-growing centers.

In 2005, the Indy Racing League announced its cars will run on a 10% ethanol - 90% methanol blend fuel, and in 2007, the cars will race on 100% ethanol.

Thailand, India, China and Japan have now launched their national gasohol policies. Thailand started blending 10% ethanol for its ULG95 in 1985; now there are more than 4000 stations serving E10. The blending of 10% ethanol into gasoline will be mandated by the end of 2006 with the import ban on MTBE. It is expected that once the production of ethanol from cassava and sugar cane- molasses can be ramped up, a higher blending ratio like E20 or E85 or even Flexible Fuel Vehicle will be introduced to Thailand.

Ethanol with a water content of 2% or less can be used as the alcohol in the production of biodiesel, replacing methanol, which is quite dangerous to work with.

General Motors of Canada are preparing the launch of E85 flex-fuel vehicles, and will be sold at the same price as their gasoline-only versions. Most of these new vehicles are being produced in Oshawa, Ontario.