Are You Picking the Right Gas at the Pump? How to Know
by Addy Bink (The Hill) … Depending on the pump, you could find yourself with as many as four or five different options, including numbers ranging from 85 to 93 or terms like “super unleaded” or “supreme” – the selection can be overwhelming.
First, it’s important to understand what those numbers even mean.
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Ratings reference the pressure at which a fuel will spontaneously combust in a testing engine. The octane rating is an average of two rating methods: motor octane rating and research octane rating. The higher the rating, the more stable the fuel, EIA explains.
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As EIA explains, the lowest octane level (usually 87) is considered regular, 89-90 is midgrade, and premium has the highest octane level at 91-94. Other terms like unleaded, super, or super premium may be used instead.
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Depending on where you live, you may find yourself at a pump with biofuels, like E15 or E85. The EPA defines E15 as gasoline blended with 10.5% to 15% ethanol, while E85 refers to “high-level ethanol-gasoline blends containing 51% to 83% ethanol” depending on where the gas station is and what time of year it is.
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When it comes to actually picking which grade of fuel to put in your vehicle, Gladden (AAA spokesperson Devin Gladden) recommends checking your owner’s manual. You can also check which fuel type is best for your vehicle by using the Department of Energy’s fuel economy website. Here, you can check vehicle makes and models dating back to 1984.
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Additionally, the website can tell you whether you can use ethanol fuels or diesel. READ MORE
