Frequently Asked Questions
How much ethanol is in gasoline and how does it affect fuel economy?
In 2011, the 133.93 billion gallons of gasoline (3.19 billion barrels) consumed in the United States contained about 12.87 billion gallons of ethanol, accounting for 9% of the volume of gasoline consumed.
Most of the gasoline now sold has some ethanol in it, but the exact amount in the gasoline you buy varies by region. In general it will not exceed 10% by volume. Gasoline with 10% ethanol content by volume is called E10 and with 15% ethanol is called E15. E85 is 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline.
The energy content of ethanol is about 33% less than "pure" gasoline, although this varies depending on the amount of denaturant that is added to the ethanol. Thus, vehicle mileage may decrease by up to 3.3% when using E10.
All gasoline vehicles can use E10, but currently you need a light-duty vehicle with a model year of 2001 or greater to use E15, and a "flex-fuel" vehicle to use gasoline with an ethanol content greater than E15. Most of the gasoline with more than 10% ethanol is sold in the Midwest.
Learn more:
Ethanol Blend Wall: Are We There Yet?
Gasoline with higher ethanol content getting closer to U.S. drivers' fuel tanks
Last updated: July 20, 2012
Other FAQs about Gasoline
- Can I tell where the gasoline at my local station comes from?
- Does EIA have city or county-level energy consumption and price data?
- Does EIA have gasoline prices by city, county, or zip code?
- How can I find historical gasoline prices for each state?
- How many gallons of gasoline does one barrel of oil make?
- How much carbon dioxide is produced by burning gasoline and diesel fuel?
- How much ethanol is in gasoline and how does it affect fuel economy?
- How much gasoline does the United States consume?
- How much tax do we pay on a gallon of gasoline and diesel fuel?
- What do I pay for in a gallon of regular gasoline?
- What is the outlook for gasoline prices for 2012 and for 2013?
- What was the highest U.S. average retail price of regular gasoline?
- What's up (and down) with gasoline prices?
- Where can I find inflation-adjusted gasoline prices?
- Why don't fuel prices change as quickly as crude oil prices?
- Why is the United States exporting gasoline when prices are so high?