We seldom ever consider the sort of Gasoline we use in our vehicles, much alone the variety of fuels available. That is a shame since it is a very intriguing topic, given that various geographies and historical periods have varying fuel ratings and that the twenty-first century has introduced many new fuels.
In the US, there are four primary categories of gas: 87 ordinary, 89 midgrade, 91 premium, and 93/94 extreme. E15 and E85 are alternate fuel types. And last, there are two different kinds of diesel fuel: regular diesel and biodiesel. Now that octane ratings vary in Europe, we have gas with octane ratings of 95, 98, 100, and 102.
Before we discuss contemporary forms of Gasoline, let us talk about the choice between leaded or unleaded Gasoline available between 1975 and 1996.
Leaded Vs. Unleaded Gas
All of the gas ratings we see at the pumps—87, 95, 100, etc.—indicate how unlikely it is for a certain gas to ignite spontaneously. The rating increases the likelihood that gas may burn before the spark plug ignites and cause the engine to knock.
All fuels have additives to strengthen their chemical and thermal stability to reduce the risk of spontaneous combustion. Tetraethyl lead became the primary ingredient in the 1920s. Lead has the drawback of largely remaining intact even after burning and dissipating into the environment in its original state.
Lead is bad for people and the environment, but it is especially bad for our brains. Leaded Gasoline became a clear issue as environmental degradation gained greater attention in the 1970s.
Unleaded fuel, which uses ethanol, methanol, isopropanol, or isobutanol to raise the octane rating, was first launched in 1975 as a solution to this problem. Leaded Gasoline was phased out by 1996.
Types of Gasoline in the United States
1. 87-Regular
The Gasoline with the lowest octane rating and lowest price is 87 regular. Even yet, most vehicles—including some high-end models like the Volvos, Infinitis, Cadillacs, etc.—only need normal gas. Additionally, there are almost no advantages to using premium petrol for as long as your automobile can operate regularly. Additionally, the 87 regular octane rating is not accessible in Europe since it is equivalent to 91 octanes.
2. 89 Mid-Grade
The 89-octane Gasoline just slightly outperforms the 87-regular Gasoline. Because of this, most vehicles need either 87 ordinary or 91 premium, and you nearly never find a vehicle that requires 89. However, 89 mid-grade is not completely worthless.
This rating may be found in places with thin air high above sea level. Fuel burns more slowly in thinner air, as does higher-octane Gasoline. The 89 mid-grade is a 91 premium replacement at higher altitudes to prevent backfiring or a harsh engine.
Furthermore, 89 mid-grade will help older vehicles that utilize 87-regular and have little oil consumption. This is due to oil’s very low octane value, which makes vehicles that utilize it more susceptible to engine knock or early combustion. You may effectively raise the engine’s octane rating to 87 by using 89 mid-grade.
3. 91 Premium
Whether there are any advantages to using 91 premium petrol in a vehicle that needs 87-regular is a topic of ongoing discussion. The fact is that there is none until you make some significant performance improvements.
However, 91 Premium is mostly designated for common European vehicles and those with engines made for the European market. The last models of the Chevy Malibu, Buick Regal, & GMC Terrain are among them.
The primary reason is that 95 octanes, or 91 premium by US standards, is the lowest octane grade available in Europe. Even performance-oriented vehicles with turbochargers, like the most recent AMGs and BMW M vehicles, utilize 91 premium.
Additionally, horsepower is unquestionably different between lower and greater octane ratings regarding these high-end performance vehicles. Additionally, 91 premium may be advantageous for a normally aspirated vehicle with a high compression ratio.
4. 93/94 Ultra
Almost no automobile comes from the factory requiring 93/94 octane. However, it can be advantageous if your vehicle has a very high compression ratio, such as a Honda S2000 or any Ferrari or Lamborghini. A higher octane rating will also provide current turbocharged performance automobiles a little boost in power.
5. E15 – Unleaded 88 Gasoline
We have previously discussed the change from lead-based to ethanol-based gasoline additives. E15 increases the amount of ethanol in Gasoline from 10% to 15%. Its overall octane rating now stands at 88, which is quite low. However, E15 is much more affordable, has a lower effect on the environment, and can be used in any vehicle manufactured after 2001 without needing modifications.
6. E85 Gasoline
The introduction of E85 fuel almost started a revolution in the car industry. The ethanol content of E85 is between 50 and 85 percent, which greatly raises its octane rating. With E85, you get much more power and an engine that lasts much longer, thanks to reduced combustion temperatures. Additionally, exhaust pollutants are a tiny fraction of what they are when using normal and premium petrol.
In addition, E85 costs less than 87-regular and other fuels with a higher octane rating while having between 100 and 105 octanes. Unfortunately, E85 can only be utilized in flex-fuel cars, so your car will require around 15% extra petrol. However, you may very simply adapt your vehicle to run on E85.
7. Diesel
Diesel and Gasoline have substantial differences. Diesel fuel is significantly greasier and more energy dense. Diesel engines depend on spontaneous burning fuel rather than spark plugs, which is the primary distinction.
Diesel engines operate illogically after discussing octane ratings and how crucial it is to prevent spontaneous combustion. But because of how they function, diesel has an octane value between 20 and 25, making it incompatible with gasoline engines.
Heavy metals, 13% greater CO2 emissions, and other pollutants, including nitrate, sulphate, benzene, and sulphur make diesel fuel significantly worse for the environment.
8. Biodiesel
An alternative fuel called biodiesel is produced from animal fat, discarded cooking oil, algae, canola, and vegetable oil. All diesel engines can run on biodiesel without any changes. The major advantages include less pollution. Specifically, there is no sulphur or benzene emissions altogether and an 11% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to conventional diesel. Unfortunately, the price difference between biodiesel and petroleum-based fuel is between 50 and 75 percent, making it worthless for most drivers.
Types of Gasoline in Europe
Apart from varying octane rating systems, there are essentially no variations in Gasoline between the United States and Europe. It is known as a “PON” rating in the US and a “RON” rating in Europe. This implies that although the fuel grade is essentially the same, no gasoline is available in Europe that is less than 95 RON, or 91-Premium, by US standards. However, you may refer to the conversion chart below to prevent any mistakes.
Additionally, E15 fuel is not available in Europe, and biodiesel is mostly used in agriculture. E85, on the other hand, is quite hard to find.
Conversion Table for Gasoline Octane from RON (Europe) to PON (US)
The pencilgeek.org website provided this conversion chart.
| PON – (US) | RON – (EU) |
| 87 | 91 |
| 88 | 92.2 |
| 89 | 93.2 |
| 90 | 94.3 |
| 91 | 95.3 |
| 92 | 96.4 |
| 93 | 97.4 |
| 94 | 98.5 |
| 95 | 99.5 |
| 96 | 100.6 |
| 97 | 101.6 |
| 98 | 102.7 |
| 99 | 103.7 |
| 100 | 104.8 |
1. 95 Octane
As we previously noted, 95 octane, equivalent to 91 Premium for the US market, is the lowest octane rating in Europe. Almost all vehicles built for the European market can operate flawlessly on 95 octanes. The most any automaker will do is advise 98 octane fuel but not mandate it.
2. 98 Octane
The 98-octane rating is the second most popular in Europe and is only advised for older vehicles and high-performance engines. But once again, no manufacturer demands it.
3. 100 Octane
Only rising engines will gain from the 100-octane gasoline without any additional effort. ECU tweaking or an excessively high compression ratio on typical engines may provide some advantages.
4. 102 Octane
Once again, individuals who alter their engines and do ECU tuning are the only ones allowed to use 102-octane gasoline. Since E85 is not very common in Europe, 102 octane is the best alternative.
Octane Rating Impact on Horsepower
It is a common misconception that higher octane fuel produces greater horsepower; however, this is not always the case. However, it will make a difference with high-performance engines, as I have stressed several times in this post.
And I found incontrovertible evidence supporting that claim while researching this essay. Franz Simon’s test results on a Mercedes C63 AMG are available on this website (Simon Motorsport). Even if the website is in German, you will not have any trouble verifying the findings, and you may always translate it to simplify things. Anyway, the test results are below.
C63 AMG Horsepower Difference
- 95 Octane (91-Premium) – 554.1 Hp
- 98 Octane (94 United States) – 564.2 Hp
- 100 Octane (96 United States) – 575.8 Hp
- 102 Octane (97-98 United States) – 579.6 Hp
C63 AMG 100-200km/h (62-125mp/h) Acceleration Difference
- 95 Octane (91-Premium) – 8.7 Seconds
- 98 Octane (94 United States) – 8.5 Seconds
- 100 Octane (96 United States) – 8.2 Seconds
- 102 Octane (97-98 United States) – 7.9 Seconds
How Is Fuel Classified?
Fuels may be divided into gaseous, solid, & liquid fuels. Liquid fuel is what we put in our automobiles, but other examples include kerosene and cooking oil.
What Is Natural Fuel?
Any fuel that is not manufactured in a lab is considered natural fuel. Refining it has no bearing on this categorization. Therefore, natural gas, fossil fuel, and wood are all-natural fuels.
Is LPG Gas or Liquid?
When you add LPG fuel to your car at the gas station, it is already liquid. However, because evaporators are a part of LPG systems, they are already gaseous when injected into the cylinders.
What Kind of Gaseous Fuel Is This Example?
Methane, natural gas, & propane are the primary examples and most often used gaseous fuels. Methane is utilized in air conditioners and industrial facilities, whereas natural gas is mostly used for electricity production. The most prevalent fuel in typical homes is propane since it is used for cooking.
What Are Gasoline’s Ten Uses?
Artificial fertilizers, synthetic materials, pesticides, rubber and plastic, paint, fragrances, and dyes are among the 10 applications of gasoline.
What Benefits Makes Gasoline Offer?
The biggest benefit of gasoline is how high energy dense it is. In addition, it has a variety of applications, is simple and inexpensive to extract and purify in big numbers, and the infrastructure for production is widely distributed.
Conclusion
The best course of action is to utilize the gasoline that your manufacturer advises out of all the various fuel kinds. However, using higher octane gasoline in a performance engine may result in some performance increases. The difference in gasoline quality and ratings between Europe and the US is another ongoing heated subject.
We made care to discuss both that subject and the advantages of performance. In addition, be careful to examine each fuel type, as some may be advantageous for the health of the engines in certain automobiles, and others may have a special purpose.