Effects of Lower Carbon Intensity Fuels on Performance and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Intensity Reduction for Conventional and Next Generation Powertrains Part II

Renewable Gasoline Blends can deliver greater than 50% reduction in vehicle Well-to-Wheel (WtW) greenhouse gas emissions when used in current vehicles. When paired with a state-of-the-art hybrid vehicle (relative to an average vehicle on U.S. roads today), a greater than 70% reduction in WtW emissions can be achieved. Importantly, Renewable Gasoline Blends can be formulated to align with existing market standards for gasoline, thereby functioning as a drop-in fuel solution compatible with all gasoline-powered vehicles. Renewable Gasoline Blends can also be formulated with higher ethanol blend ratios to meet a variety of fuel grades and market standards. These varying formulations can result in tradeoffs across engine performance, fuel economy, and potentially cost. For example, higher ethanol blends investigated lead to slight decreases in fuel economy across FTP, HWFE, and US06 cycles (typically ~1 - 2%, despite 2 – 5% lower heating values); however, significant decreases in PM emissions were observed as well (e.g. 71- 84% reduction in the cold FTP and/or US06 cycles). Renewable Gasoline blends offer the potential for performance similar to conventional gasoline in both modern and future engines, while providing immediate reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.