Impact of reformulated ethanol-gasoline blends on high-emitting vehicles

In-use vehicles which are high emitters (HEVs) make a large contribution to the emissions inventory. It is not known, however, whether HEVs share common emissions characteristics, and particularly the effect of ethanol blends. We study this by first examining laboratory measurements of exhaust and evaporative emissions on ethanol blends containing 21%, 26% and 30% aromatics, and a reference fuel formulated with methyl-tertiary butyl ether (MTBE). Switching from MTBE to ethanol fuels on HEVs shows no effect on the total emissions of regulated pollutants, but 1,3-butadiene emissions would increased substantially while the emissions of total carbonyls would not be affected except in the case of acetaldehyde, which would increase with EtOH. The ozone-forming potential of exhaust and evaporative emissions would be less using the EtOH blends and specific reactivity will not be incremented. Lowering the vapour pressure of the gasoline and increasing the proportions of alkylate and isomerate in the composition produces an ethanol-blended fuel with lower environmental impact both in normal vehicles and HEVs.