Is winter blend gas better?
Winter gas is more volatile and evaporates more quickly, so it is ideal for it is used in the colder air of winter. In terms of gas mileage, you get better mileage on summer blends than winter blends because the summer blend gasoline has about 2% greater energy value than winter blend.
Why is winter blend gas cheaper?
In winter, gasoline blends have a higher Reid vapor pressure, meaning they evaporate more easily and allow gasoline to ignite more easily to start your car in cold temperatures. This blend is cheaper to produce, which results in lower gas prices at the pumps from late September through late April.
What’s the difference between summer blend of gas and winter blend of gas?
Winter-blend gas has a higher RVP because the fuel must be able to evaporate at low temperatures for the engine to operate properly. Summer-blend gas has a lower RVP to prevent excessive evaporation when outside temperatures rise.
What is winter-grade gasoline?
Winter-grade gasoline usually contains more butane, which has an octane rating slightly below premium gasoline (91-93 octane). While butane is an economic component of gasoline, the high volatility of butane limits the amount of butane that can be used in summer-grade gasoline.
Does winter blend gas reduce mpg?
Refineries switch to winter-blend fuel in the fall, which evaporates more easily at low temperatures to aid in starting. It also helps the engine run more smoothly in frigid weather. Unfortunately, winter-blend gasoline contains less energy than summer-blend gas, reducing mileage.
Can you use winter gas in the summer?
Running winter blend gas in warm weather can cause engine performance problems such as stumbling and, occasionally, stalling. Since winter blends evaporate quicker in the summer, they contribute to ozone issues and smog. Even if you only need a half tank or less, fill up with summer blend as soon as convenient.
Does winter blend gasoline have more ethanol?
Apart from the pricing issue, winter-grade gasoline does yield slightly less energy than the summer blend, Mark, but only by about 1.7 percent on average, according to the EPA. Ethanol’s impact is far greater, dropping energy content — and fuel mileage — by more like 30 percent.
What is in winter blend gas?
Because RVP standards are higher during the winter, winter-grade fuel uses more butane, with its high RVP of 52 psi, as an additive. (Winter-grade gas has about 10 percent butane in its blend). Butane is inexpensive and plentiful, contributing to lower prices.
Is winter gas less efficient?
Is This Myth True? In short, YES – cold weather can negatively affect your fuel economy. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, fuel economy tests show that a standard vehicle’s gas mileage is roughly 15% lower at 20°F than it would be at 77°F.