robert and benita rabello wrote:
..I'm sure, at some point, that I can figure out how to make the engine run on a biofuel . . . Toyota builds FFVs in Brazil, but they have never sold FFVs in North America. I drive a 2003 Prius. I hope that someday Toyota will admit, officially, that my Prius can operate on concentrations of ethanol higher than E10 (10%). Of course, the 10% (E10) ethanol limit authorized in the Toyota owners manual is only a warranty issue, it isn't a technical issue. Unofficially, we know that the Prius can run on E85 just fine, and that knowledge probably applies to your Camry too, because the hybrid drive technology is the same. The primary issues are the mixture adjustment range of the adaptive algorithm in the fuel control computer, and materials compatibility. Consider this quote from http://www.ethanolmt.org/newsletters/novdec04.html : "Twin Cities Clean Cities Coalition . . from Clean City News The Twin Cities Clean Cities Coalition (TC4) is working to secure funding for a project to optimize a Toyota Prius and other hybrid electric vehicle models to run on E-85. The project is the follow-up to a demonstration conducted by automotive engineering students at Minnesota State University Mankato in partnership with Communities for Responsible Energy and Environmental Demonstration. Students gradually increased the alcohol content of gasoline used in a 2003 Prius to 85% Ethanol without making changes to the fuel system or engine. The Prius was driven all summer on E-85 and showed gains in horse-power and torque, while significantly reducing tailpipe emissions. There were no engine-related problems. For more info, visit: www.creedproject.org." The experiment described in the above text resulted in a technical report, which you can find at: http://www.creedproject.org/e85%20hybrid%20report.doc Regarding E10 in a Prius, here is a quotation from a famous Prius owner: "I have 111,000 miles of Prius experience with E10 (the 10% ethanol blend) with my 2 Prius over the past 5.5 years. It's no big deal. MPG goes down a little. Horsepower goes up a tiny bit. Emissions are very clean." JOHN
http://john1701a.com
We have not heard the end of this story. -Don in Virginia PS: my 2003 Prius has 55K miles on it. It has driven coast-to-coast in the USA, in winter ice and snow, Arizona desert summer, Gulf Coast humidity (90+F,90+%) and high in the Rockies at 11,500 feet. It has never been in the shop for a mechanical problem. Those Toyota engineers are good. I have not yet fed it any ethanol, but I expect to eventually. |
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