What are flexible fuel vehicles and how do they work?

Flexible fuel vehicles have an internal combustion engine.

The biggest feature of these vehicles is that they can work with a mixture of gasoline and ethanol.

These vehicles can work with both pure gasoline and gasoline-ethanol mixture.

Except for the ability to work with ethanol and a different drivetrain, flexible fuel vehicles have the same features as other gasoline vehicles. The increased amount of ethanol reduces the range, but the vehicle runs more efficiently.

How do flex-fuel vehicles work?

Flexible fuel vehicles contain an internal combustion engine.

These vehicles work with gasoline or gasoline-ethanol mixture. Most components in these vehicles are the same as in other petrol vehicles.

However, some systems, such as the fuel pump and fuel injection system, require components that are compatible with ethanol.

The engine control unit is also calibrated according to the oxygen content of the ethanol.

Basic components of flexible fuel vehicles;

Battery: Provides electricity to start the vehicle and power the vehicle electronics.

Electronic Control Unit: This unit controls the fuel mixture, ignition timing, emission system. It monitors the vehicle's operating status, detects problems and warns the driver.

Exhaust system: The exhaust system expels the exhaust gas from the engine through the exhaust pipe. There is a 3-way catalyst to reduce emissions within the exhaust system.

Fuel filler: Used to refuel the fuel tank in the vehicle.

Fuel injection system: Thanks to this system, fuel is supplied to the combustion chambers for ignition.

Fuel line: This line transfers fuel from the tank to the fuel injection system.

Fuel pump: This pump transfers the fuel to the injection system through the fuel line.

Fuel tank: Fuel is stored here.

Internal combustion engine: Fuel is injected in the combustion chamber, where it combines with air, and the air-fuel mixture is ignited by a spark from the spark plug.