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EPA Ponders Octane Boost to Help Fuel Economy
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tells Automotive News it might increase the octane level of gasoline to help carmakers improve fuel efficiency.
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tells Automotive News it might increase the octane level of gasoline to help carmakers improve fuel efficiency.
Higher octane levels would enable greater engine compression ratios that can be used to enhance the power of smaller and more fuel-efficient engines. But Christopher Grundler, who heads EPA's air quality office, says the agency won't mandate the change unless it can be accomplished without raising pump prices.
Grundler says EPA also would have to prove the efficiencies achieved with higher octane couldn't be reached in other ways.
Separately, Grundler tells attendees at this week's Management Briefing Seminars in Traverse City, Mich., that 10% of today's vehicles are already meeting U.S. fuel economy standards for 2020 or later. He points out the tally includes several SUVs and pickup trucks as well as hybrids, electric vehicles and fuel-efficient small cars.
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