12.12.16 - Honda Civic
Automotive Social Car News Your Turbocharged Engine May Receive a Price Break, Eventually

Your Turbocharged Engine May Receive a Price Break, Eventually

12.12.16 - Honda Civic

The proliferation of turbocharged engines on the market today have helped increase power and fuel mileage at the same time in many vehicles. Over the past few years this has made it possible for automakers to use smaller engines with turbochargers to offer lighter vehicles that have similar numbers to the older larger engines. Unless you drive a high end sports car or luxury model, most engines are able to offer you more than before and these higher end models make use of the larger engines but with turbocharging as well to reach some of the insane horsepower numbers we’re seeing on the market.

The only drawback to a turbocharged engine is the need to use higher octane gasoline. This makes driving these vehicles more expensive than driving one that doesn’t have turbocharging at all. While a turbocharged Honda Civic or Toyota Camry will give you great fuel mileage overall, are you really saving money if you have to use higher octane gasoline to fill it up? The simple and short answer is “no,” in fact, you’re going to spend more money on fuel for these vehicles over the course of time than if you had an engine without turbocharging.

Don’t fret if you’re caught up in the turbocharged for better power and fuel but higher cost of fuel dilemma, fuel costs will eventually change. This is the right word to use for this change because it’s not expected until at least 2025 when the Corporate Average Fuel Economy standard go into effect and make for more turbocharged vehicles on the road which require the higher octane fuels. When this happens the production of higher octane fuels in the US will increase significantly, which should lower the price of this fuel, making for better overall fuel efficiency and a lower cost of vehicle operation.

Octane is a measurement of the fuel’s resistance to self-ignite which is why higher octanes are needed for turbocharged engines. These engines us a higher engine compression without the problem of causing knock which helps to improve the fuel economy by a significant amount. If all vehicles in the future are made as hybrids or turbocharged vehicles, or at least use direct injection, the fuel efficiency is going to improve by nearly five percent over this time and help to reduced emissions a great deal. This is the right direction for the automotive industry, but these engines have a hard time catching on because of the cost of operation that we currently face.

The overall goal and hopeful result of making these turbocharged, hybrid, electrified and direct injected engines mainstream for all who drive by 2025 is that the effect on the environment will be lessened. There hasn’t been any definitive proof that the higher octane gasoline use will cut emissions, but its currently in discussion and will be part of the agenda for the next several years as those of us with turbocharged engines look forward to a time when the higher octane gasoline costs much less.

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