Summer is on its way and that means summer blend gasoline | Fuel Up BLOG | Atlas Oil
You may notice a price change at the pump this summer because summer blend fuel costs more to make. What is the difference in the fuel?
Spring has sprung and that means summer is finally on its way. The warming temperatures may have you switching to iced coffee over your regular latte. It just seems like a good idea. Well, you may not realize it, but the gasoline you put in your vehicle also has a “summer blend”. We’ve all experienced “ozone days”, when we are asked to restrict certain activities like lawn mowing and pumping gas during the heat of the day.
Cars using summer-blend gasoline emit fewer harmful emissions and get slightly better fuel economy than those using winter-blend gas during the summer months. The difference between conventional summer- and winter-blend gasoline has to do with the Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) of the fuel. RVP relates to the volatility of gasoline. The more volatile gasoline, the more likely it will evaporate as the temperature rises; evaporated gasoline contributes to unhealthy ozone and smog levels. Summer gasoline has a lower RVP and is less likely to evaporate when compared to the higher RVP winter grade. The Environmental Protection Agency says conventional summer-blend gasoline contains 1.7 percent more energy than winter-blend gas, which contributes to the summer blend’s slightly better gas mileage.
The switch between the two fuels happens twice a year, once in the fall (winter blend) and again in the spring (summer blend). Summer-blend gasoline is typically more expensive to produce than the winter blend, and it won’t affect vehicle performance or the durability of the engine and fuel system, according to the EPA.
So enjoy your iced latte as you are cruising this spring and summer with your specially formulated summer fuel!
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