Is there really a "winter" fuel?

Oxo · Oct 26, 2005

Some posts recently have claimed that MPGs are affected by a change in the quality of fuel about now from a summer grade to a winter grade. I'd never heard of such a change. Is a difference admitted by the oil companies or is there some real good evidence to support it?
I have a suspicion that this is an urban myth but if it is true are fuel supplies in other countries also changed winter/summer?

Marlin · Oct 26, 2005

http://www.bartleby.com/65/ga/gasoline.html

There are five blends of gasoline marketed in the United States. Conventional gasoline, the most widely available, is sold where air quality is satisfactory; since 1992, it has been formulated to evaporate more slowly in hot weather so as to reduce smog, and it now contains detergent additives to reduce engine deposits. Winter oxygenated gasoline, introduced in 1992, is formulated as conventional gasoline with oxygen-rich chemicals added, such as MTBE or ethanol. The oxygen promotes cleaner burning, reducing carbon monoxide, and is generally sold from November to March because cold engines operate less efficiently and produce more carbon monoxide. Reformulated gasoline (RFG), introduced in Jan., 1995, is mandated in areas where toxins in the air are a constant problem; it contains oxygen-rich chemicals in lesser concentrations than the winter oxygenated gasoline and is formulated to reduce certain toxic chemicals found in conventional and winter oxygenated fuels. Oxygenated reformulated gasoline is a wintertime fuel exclusive to the New York City area, where heavy carbon monoxide pollution occurs. California reformulated gasoline, introduced in 1996, has a different formulation and burns cleaner than regular reformulated gasoline. Because MTBE has been implicated as a pollutant, particularly of groundwater, its use is being curtailed. In 1999, California ruled that the MTBE in California reformulated gas must be phased out by Dec. 31, 2002.
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DaveinOlyWA · Oct 26, 2005

i read that there are over 30 blends of gasoline used around the country in the summer time and slightly less variety in the winter time.

summer gas freezes at a relatively high temperature. so anti-freeze components need to be added to lower the freezing point. these additives dont burn but do take up space. that effectively gives you less gas per unit of volume resulting in poorer gas mileage.

Oxo · Oct 26, 2005

Originally posted by Marlin@Oct 26 2005, 10:54 AM
http://www.bartleby.com/65/ga/gasoline.html

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Seems like an excellent answer to the question. Thanks to Marlin and DaveinOlyWA. PriusChat has again shown what a very good service it is!

Is there really a "winter" fuel?

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